Butterfly Kisses
by super-sailor-saturn39
Summary: Draco wants to find out what's keeping Harry from talking. There's a better summary in Chapter 1.
1. Diving For Potter

**Comments: **This is my first slash story so be nice! Reviews are always welcome, because I love reading them! Also, I am reposting all the chapters since I've gotten some betas. Thanks for everything, Melanie and Catherine! You guys rock!  
**Rating: **R  
**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Buttefly Kisses**

**Chapter 1: Diving For Potter**

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If there was one thing Draco hated about his life, it was the fact that Crabbe and Goyle were constantly around him. The only time they left him alone was either when he was in the bathroom or when they were feeling extra hungry enough to leave his side. Thus the latter seemed to be the reason Draco found himself alone late that Saturday morning. He showered and dressed in the expensive silk robes he always wore when he wasn't attending classes. He found his school robes a burden, especially when the material left unsightly red patches on his shoulders.

"Come on, Draco!" Blaise yelled. "Stop looking in the mirror, and let's go eat! I'm starving!"

Draco scowled and turned away from his reflection. Was it his fault he liked to be well-groomed? Draco joined Blaise in the Common Room and left with him to go to the Great Hall. Just as they were entering it, however, the three Gryffindors whom Draco loved to annoy appeared. His eyes immediately travelled to green ones. They always did.

"Well, well, well," he drawled, his blood quickening at the thought of excitement that he could rouse from the trio just with a few words. "If it isn't Scarface and his two sidekicks."

"Shove it, Malfoy," Weasley growled.

Draco smirked to himself. He had already known the redhead was going to say that. So predictable. "Stick to Potter's side, Weasley. I'm sure he could support you once your family dies of starvation."

Blaise snickered as Weasley's ears turned red. Draco didn't even flinch when his fist travelled toward his face, knowing full well that Blaise's lightning reflexes would kick in and catch Weasley's fist before it connected with Draco's face. He ignored the two struggling boys and looked back to the green eyes that were calmly watching Weasley attempting to pull away from Blaise.

"What Potter, no words in defence of Weasel?" he asked softly. He heard the Mudblood give an audible gasp, but he was too busy staring at Potter to look at her. He gave Draco a look of disdain before dragging the spluttering redhead away from Blaise.

"That was low," Granger hissed at him.

"It's not my fault Potter's mute," he said.

Her face darkened. "He's not mute. He just doesn't want to talk."

"Oh?" Draco feigned surprise. "He's too thick to string two words together then?"

Potter and Granger grabbed onto Weasley's robe as he made a jump for him, hauling him off to the Gryffindor table. Draco and Blaise went to their respective table. All through breakfast he found his gaze drifting to the black-haired boy who was intently concentrating on his food. _What happened last year that made you silent?_ he asked himself for the hundredth time. As far as he could tell, not even Dumbledore had been successful at getting Potter to talk. If he had Draco would know.

He realized with a start that Potter was looking right back at him. Both were too stubborn to be the first to look away. He felt that familiar wanting that only occurred when Potter looked at him. He saw him shake his head as if to clear his thoughts, still not taking his eyes off Draco. Draco smirked at him and saw, even from across the hall, the Gryffindor blush and look away.

_Blushing?!_ Draco thought incredulously. _He's been doing that for a while. He blushed when I looked at him last week, too._ He barely even noticed what he was eating as his attention was solely focused on Potter.

"Cute, isn't he?" Blaise whispered, glancing at the Gryffindor table.

Draco nodded in agreement. Blaise already knew of Draco's feelings for the Gryffindor.

"Why don't you make a move?"

Draco shrugged. "It's safer this way. Besides, he hates me. It wouldn't do for him to become involved with the son of a Death Eater. And you bloody well know I'm not the type to profess my feelings and ask him out to dinner."

Blaise laughed as he imagined Draco on bended knee reciting love sonnets to Harry. "I'm sure Harry would run as far away from you as possible if you ever said things like that."

The blond was envious that Blaise could say Potter's name so easily. Draco had resorted to calling the Gryffindor by his surname whenever he thought about him ever since Draco found that he liked him at the beginning of the year. Somehow the last name bit kept Draco's hormones under more control.

"That will not happen since I'm never going to do that," he said.

"Hey, Draco!" it was a sixth year Slytherin down the table. "You ready to cream those Gryffindors in tomorrow's match?"

Draco gave him a smug smile. "Would I do otherwise?"

"Rather confident, aren't you? I wager you'll be too busy gawking at their Seeker," Blaise said so that only Draco could hear.

----------

"Leave me alone," Draco mumbled sleepily. Something was poking him in his back, interrupting his very graphic dream involving a spacious bed, himself, and a certain Gryffindor.

"Wake up, Draco. You're going to be late for our match," an urgent voice said in his ear.

Draco bolted out of bed. "What time is it?"

Blaise smirked at something. "8:50. You have ten minutes before the match starts. Oh, and Draco? You might want to visit the bathroom first to fix your-- er-- _problem._"

Draco looked down and groaned out loud. After a brief visit to the bathroom he was back out. He grabbed his Firebolt and they both raced down to their locker room to get suited up. The two teams were already in their positions. Madam Hooch favoured both boys with a disapproving frown. Draco gave her his most charming smile and stood opposite of Potter who gave him a challenging look. He answered Potter with a smirk.

"There better be no lifeless bodies by the end of this game," Hooch said. She looked at both teams with her golden eyes. "Beaters, I'm sure that all four of you know the difference between a Bludger and a head. I want a game that will not result in missing limbs. Captains, shake hands."

Draco extended his hand to Potter's who accepted it. He noted the couple of calluses he could feel on the Gryffindor's hand. Potter suddenly let go and blushed, staring at the ground. _You really are acting peculiar, Potter._

The whistle was blown and Draco immediately kicked off the ground. Thirteen other brooms rose up beside him, but only one followed him up higher than the other twelve. Draco glanced to his left and spotted Potter flying next to him. He watched as the raven-haired boy looked around for the Snitch. Draco himself strained his eyes to glimpse a speck of gold, but could see nothing.

"Finnigan passes it to Ginny-- intercepted by Watson-- passes it to Biend-- closing in on Weasley-- oh-- Slytherin scores." There was a loud groan from the Gryffindor side.

Draco smirked at Potter. He scowled at Draco. Draco's eyes widened as he concentrated on something over the other Seeker's shoulder. He was past Potter before he even turned to see what Draco was looking at. Draco was ahead by a few seconds, but knew that Potter was catching up. He dived for the ground, neck to neck with Potter. Just when the front of his broom was about to touch the grass, Draco pulled out of the dive. From the relieved sighs of the crowd, so did Potter. Draco turned his body completely around and started lazily flying backwards at a slow speed, letting his feet graze the grass. He laughed at the Gryffindor's bewildered face.

"Really, Potter, there is no need to look around for the Snitch. I was just tricking you into thinking that I saw it. You are quite gullible, you know that?" Draco laughed again.

Potter's face reddened with unmistakable anger. _Undoubtedly at himself, not at me._ The thought made Draco smile. With a quick swing of his legs he was facing forward again. By now the score was 70-60, Slytherin in the lead.

_If I could just find and catch the bloody Snitch we'd win against Gryffindor for the first time since Potter came here. _Draco looked over at the other Seeker and his heart nearly stopped. _He's seen the Snitch! Shit!_ Draco sped after him._ Faster_, _you bloody broom! _He cursed himself for not keeping an eye on him.

Draco saw the golden ball flying as fast as it could from them. He caught up to Potter and once again they were neck to neck. They both dodged a Bludger sent at them from God knew which Beater. The Snitch zig-zagged left and right and flew up and down. Both boys followed the ball's path. It flew in between the Chasers. Draco had to twist his body to avoid collision with any of the players. He realized that Potter was not beside him. One glance told him that the raven-haired boy had taken an alternative route. He was flying _under_ the Chasers instead of through them like the blond was doing.

_Oh no, he's going to get to the Snitch before I do!_ Draco bent his torso forward until he was almost laying on the broom. He urged his broom to go faster, still moving from side to side to prevent hitting anyone. He and Potter both escaped from the group of Chasers at the same time. The Snitch was now racing upward._ I'm closer to it than he is!_ Draco thought triumphantly. He tilted his broom up and was practically vertical with the ground. _Come on, Draco! You have the advantage! Just a few more centimetres._ His fingers brushed against smooth metal before the ball was snatched away.

Draco looked over to see an empty broom. _Fuck!_ Without even taking the time to look down to see its rider Draco turned his broom and dived. _Potter, you bloody brainless git! Are you so determined to make sure that I don't catch the Snitch that you'd throw yourself off the broom?_ Draco refused to think about how high they both had been. The Gryffindor was falling and the ground was getting dangerously closer. Draco was going so fast that his eyes watered, making it difficult to see. He quickly blinked them away. He was only a foot away from him. _Faster_, _Draco!_ his mind screamed. He flew past Potter and caught him around the waist. His broom jerked violently as it and its rider was caught in Potter's momentum. Draco struggled to hold onto Potter and steady his broom at the same time, which was not an easy feat. After a few dread-filled seconds Draco managed to still his broom. He used all his strength to swing Potter onto his broom so that they were facing each other.

"Idiot," Draco breathed. His heart was pounding furiously. Both boys were breathing heavily, staring at each other. He was so close that Draco could see the tiny freckles on his nose. Potter closed his eyes and rested his head in the crook of Draco's shoulder. Draco could feel the Gryffindor's breath on his neck. A smell of strawberries wafted up to his nose. He lowered his head so that he could whisper in the other boy's ear.

"You're a real idiot. Why in fuck's sake would you jump from sixty feet above? Damn you Gryffindors and your so-called bravery. It should be more like stupidity. You could've gotten yourself killed," Draco was angry and his voice showed it.

Potter only moved closer. His mouth moved and Draco knew that the little twit was smiling. He growled and started lowering them both to the ground.

Teachers ran to the two as they landed. Draco was surprised to find that his arm was around Potter's waist. He let go and let Professor Dumbledore take the green-eyed boy off his broom. The two teams had already landed and rushed to see what happened. Draco dismounted and watched as Dumbledore placed Potter on his own two feet. Potter smiled and opened his right hand to reveal the golden Snitch. A cheer went up from the Gryffindor team and moans of disappointment from the Slytherins.

"Ah, yes! Potter has the Snitch!" the commentator said, sounding gleeful. "That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen! And it's thanks to Malfoy that Potter's alive and kicking! Gryffindor wins 230 to 100."

Draco's team surrounded him with crestfallen faces. They patted him on the shoulder and left to go to the locker room. Draco took one last look at Potter, who was getting checked over, and started walking across the field in the direction his team had gone.

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	2. Things Begin

**Comments:**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I never knew I would get that much reviews! Keep on reviewing. I take inspiration from that. **_Opal:_** I'm well aware that Lucius was arrested at the end of OoTP. I never said that Lucius bought the broom for Draco, though. I'm sure Draco had money of his own and could afford to buy a Firebolt. **_S._**: Thank you so much for warning me. I'll be sure not to post NC-17 scenes. **_Nymphaline:_** I'm positive I've never posted this chapter before. Weird that you should recognize it, because I haven't posted it anywhere besides fictionalley and the elusivedevotion Yahoo! Group. **_Everyone:_** Thank you for the nice comments. I hope you'll like the later chapters as well as you did the first. And thanks of course to my betas: Melanie, Catherine, and Stephanie!  
**Rating:**R  
**Summary:**Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.  
**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**IMPORTANT:** This is one of the NC-17 scenes. I had to leave a bit out, but if you want the real version, please email me and ask me and I'll be happy to send it to you.

**Butterfly Kisses **

**Chapter 2: Things Begin**

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Draco took a long cold shower to calm down some of the panic he was still feeling. My God, if he hadn't caught him... Draco stopped the thought before it could continue. Never in his life did Draco imagine that his words could be so colourful as he cursed the hardheaded Gryffindor, the Snitch for flying so high, his weakness for the hardheaded Gryffindor, and especially the Gryffindor's 'bravery'.

When he was sure that this body temperature had fallen, Draco shut the shower off. He dressed in his black silk robes and shivered as the cool material made him feel even colder. The locker room had long since been empty, and Draco appreciated the solitude. He grabbed his broom and went out the door.

Potter greeted him with a nervous look outside the door. Draco's body decided then and there to remember the physical contact with him. Needless to say, Draco's groin responded quite enthusiastically to the memory.

"Yes, Potter?"

He lowered his eyes to the ground and scuffed his shoes, looking like an extremely nervous six year old getting scolded by his mother. _Gods_, _he's cute when he does that,_ Draco couldn't help but think.

"Are you going to say anything or what? I'm hungry," Draco managed to say with a trace of impatience in his voice. After Potter didn't move or look up from the ground, the blond started walking away. A hand grabbed his shoulder and tugged him back. The touch only seemed to harden his erection.

Draco crossed his arms in a show of boredom. _Hurry up, you damn Gryffindor! You're killing me. Thank the gods I'm not wearing any pants._

Green eyes looked into gray and a smile appeared on Potter's face. He waved to the Quidditch pitch and smiled again.

His arousal was not coping well with his need to escape from the brunette. "Why don't you say thank you instead of playing gesture games?"

Potter bit his lower lip. _Please don't do that,_ Draco mentally begged. He was starting to ache he was so aroused. He needed to get rid of the black-haired boy before he ravished him right there.

"Fine, fine. I accept your thank you. You're welcome, now go away."

Potter absolutely beamed. He grasped Draco's hand to shake it. That simple touch was enough to make Draco lose the little control he had over his actions. He pulled the boy to him, his lips immediately searching the slightly smaller boy's.

Draco's eyes closed in bliss. He had imagined for weeks what it would be like to kiss him. It was like heaven. He tasted the way he smelled. _Strawberries,_ Draco thought. Part of his mind yelled at him to stop before he went too far, but Potter's responding kiss silenced his mind. Draco's tongue took over Potter's mouth. His hands roamed his body, wanting to feel every part of him. He felt something pressing against his thigh and realized that Potter was just as aroused as he was. This told him three things: Potter liked guys; Potter wanted this; Potter wanted _him. _

_And I'll make sure he gets every bit of me,_ Draco smirked. He was now officially ignoring the rational part of his brain that said this was too dangerous. He listened to his mind too much and for once wanted to give into his body.

"Are you sure you want this, Potter?" he whispered, breaking away from him.

Glazed eyes full of lust met his. Potter nodded and reached for Draco. They managed to get into the locker room without stopping their groping or kissing.

----------

_Butterfly kisses,_ Draco thought vaguely when he felt Potter's eyelashes against his cheek. _Must've lost his glasses somewhere._

"You're the biggest fool I've ever met, you know that?" Draco asked once his breathing was normal.

Potter raised himself up to peer down at him with a questioning look.

Draco sighed. "I can't believe you'd risk your life for the Snitch. What if I hadn't caught you?"

He shrugged and smiled lazily.

"If you ever do that again I'll kill you," he paused. "Why did you just let us fuck each other?"

Potter pointed at himself, then to Draco, and back again.

"I don't know what you're trying to say."

He repeated his actions.

"Really, Potter," Draco drawled. "I'm not all that great with interpreting your gestures."

Gold writing suddenly appeared in front of them as if an invisible hand was writing. The words 'Because I want you and you want me' shimmered in the air and disappeared when Draco finished reading it. He turned to look at him and expected to see a wand, but the Gryffindor's hands were empty.

"How'd you do that?"

Again words appeared. 'Wandless magic.' It disappeared once again after Draco was done reading the last word.

Draco was impressed. "Wandless, eh? Snape can do a little. Not much, though. What else can you do that you don't need a wand for?"

'Almost anything.'

"You don't have to say the words to go with the spell either?"

He shook his head.

"Does anyone know of this? I mean, besides myself and your two sidekicks."

'Dumbledore. He's the one that taught me to do wandless magic.'

"Use it often?"

Potter shook his head.

"Very nice, Potter."

'Call me Harry."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "We've only fucked once and you already want me to call you by your first name?"

A nod.

"Alright, _Harry_," the name felt foreign on his tongue. _Because it_ is, Draco told himself.

'I like you saying my name. Though last time was better.'

"Last time?" Draco said in confusion. "That's my first time saying your name out loud."

He grinned devilishly. 'I think you were too lost in ecstasy to remember what you screamed.'

Draco tried hard not to grin back. It wasn't his style to grin. "How come you don't use wandless magic that much?"

'I don't see the reason to.'

"Well, you would be able to answer people's questions about why you won't talk."

'That's why I don't use it.'

"Clever." Draco pushed Pot-- _Harry,_ Draco reminded himself-- Harry's hair back to reveal the scar. "Why _won't_ you talk, Harry?"

Harry rested his head on Draco's chest. 'Please don't ask.'

"You-Know-Who, right?"

Harry remained silent.

"Oh alright. I won't ask." Draco shifted. His back was starting to hurt. "Get up, Pot- Harry. This floor is killing my back."

He raised his head and smiled at him. "Too fragile to lay on the floor?"

Draco stood up, dumping Harry unceremoniously on the floor. Draco smiled sweetly at his glare. They both got dressed in the dim light of the torches. Only after Draco was fully dressed did he let his mind scold him.

_Draco Malfoy, you brainless prick! You've put the both of you in danger! Wait until your father hears you're literally screwing Harry Potter. He's going to use that and make you turn Harry over to the Dark Lord. _

_Well he won't find out, now will he?_ Draco thought. He wouldn't have traded that experience for the world. He finally had what he most wanted in his entire life and he wasn't about to give him up so easily. He knew it had been stupid of him to get involved with the Gryffindor, but it was too hard to give him up now.

Draco walked to the door and gave a wave to him. He was on the floor looking for something. 'My glasses' shimmered in front of Draco.

"Yeah, good luck with finding them, Potter. Your thank you was well appreciated. We'll do it again sometime." Draco left the glowering boy who was still searching for his glasses. He picked up his broom and went to the Great Hall to grab something to eat.

The Great Hall was almost empty, save for the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams and a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. The Gryffindors gave him a look of pure dislike. _They won't be too happy when they find out I'm fucking their Golden Boy_. The thought made him want to stick his tongue out at them, but it would've been very childish and undignified so he resisted the urge.

"Where's Harry, Malfoy?" Weasley shouted from his seat.

"How the hell should I know?"

"He said he was coming to thank you for Merlin knows why. He said that half an hour ago and we still haven't seen him. What did you do to him?"

"Don't worry, Weasel, your precious Potter is fine. I received his thanks. He was rather adamant on showing his gratitude," Draco smirked at the looks of confusion on their faces. He joined the Slytherins and took his time eating. A Malfoy never ate fast no matter how hungry they were.

Harry walked in a few minutes later. Draco watched him sit down and begin to eat, refusing to meet the blond's eyes.

"So, what were you guys doing in the locker room?" Blaise said casually.

Draco put on a smug smile. "I was trying to get him to say something."

Blaise's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You got him to say something?"

"Not really. I did get him to moan several times."

"Wonder how?" the brown-haired boy said wryly. "I thought you weren't going to get involved with him?"

"I couldn't help it."

Blaise snorted. "Sure you couldn't."

"Where are those two morons? I haven't seen them since last night."

He shrugged. "Probably off somewhere stuffing their faces with sweets."

Draco stood up. "Let's go. I'm done eating." He felt Harry's eyes on him as he left the Hall. There was a letter for him on his bed. His churning stomach told him whom it was from.

_Draco,  
Your mother sends her greetings and hopes you are  
doing well. There's going to be a big Halloween party  
back home. Your grandfather is coming and wants you  
there. I've already written to Dumbledore telling him that  
you're coming home for Halloween in three days. I'll pick  
you up at the Three Broomsticks at noon.  
Your father,  
Lucius _

"Shit." Draco fell back on his bed. He handed the letter to Blaise. "Grandfather my ass. My grandfather hasn't spoken to my father since he decided to join the Dark Lord. Lucius probably wants me Marked before my grandfather decides to take me."

"But so soon? I thought he was waiting for you to graduate."

"Guess not."

Blaise rubbed his left arm. "It's not so bad. There's a few minutes of excruciating pain, then it aches like hell for a couple of days, and then the next thing you know it doesn't hurt anymore."

"If that's not the most comforting thing I've heard."

The brunette sighed. "Maybe you should go see Dumbledore."

Draco sat up and stared at his friend. "And say what? 'Hello professor. Lovely day, isn't it? Don't you think that dark cloud looks a bit like the Dark Mark? Speaking of the Dark Mark, I hope you don't mind that I'm going to be receiving it in three days'."

"You know what to say, Draco. I told Dumbledore about mine, and now I'm a spy and everything's great," Blaise said cheerfully.

Draco threw a pillow at him. "Shut up, you dolt. You shouldn't say that so loudly," he sighed. "I'm going to go see Dumbledore.

The only words that ran thought his mind as made his way to the Headmaster's office were 'Shit' and 'Fuck'. Dumbledore was reading a rather large book. He looked up and smiled at Draco.

"Hello Mr. Malfoy. What can I do for you?"

"My father sent me a letter."

Understanding flashed in the old wizard's eyes. "Ah yes. He wrote to me also."

"I don't know what to do," Draco said.

Dumbledore rested his elbows on the desk. "You have many options, Draco. You could receive the Dark Mark and become a spy. Refusing it would mean you have to go into hiding. Or there is the last option."

"I'm not going to join Voldemort's side," Draco said.

"I should hope not. You have the other two options."

It wasn't a hard decision. Draco refused to even consider going into hiding. He'd go mad if he had to. Being a spy was going to be dangerous. He would have to use all his cunning and gift of deception to stay alive. He was reluctant to do it, but it was the only option left.

"I'll spy."

Dumbledore grew serious. "You must be aware that will be very dangerous. You must be constantly on guard and be careful of who you trust. I can't say you'll have a carefree life."

Draco nodded grimly. "I understand, professor."

"I also have no doubt in my mind that Voldemort will make you do some horrible things. Are you positive, Draco?"

He nodded again. "Yes, sir."

"You may go. And Draco? _Be on your guard always._"

He left Dumbledore's office deep in thought. Being a spy and Harry's lover was dangerous, even though the latter was much more enjoyable. _Never mention Harry to anyone except Blaise,_ he told himself. He would tell Harry about his Dark Mark when he got it.

Draco spent the rest of the day reading Quidditch magazines and worrying about Halloween. Blaise had to drag him out of bed and to the Great Hall for supper. Draco found that his stomach refused to hold any food so he made do sipping pumpkin juice.

Harry and him held a staring contest again. Draco was aware that Granger would look at him then at Harry. Guilt washed over him at the thought that he had put Harry in more danger than the boy was already in. Not used to being subjected to such a feeling, Draco quickly squashed it.

Crabbe and Goyle had finally turned up. Their plates were piled high with food, and they were shoving it in their mouths like there was no tomorrow. Draco was thoroughly disgusted.

Blaise was watching them with a look of fascination on his face. "I wonder how many of those potatoes they could eat? I've counted four each so far, though Crabbe is starting on his fifth."

"Where have you two been all day?" Draco demanded.

The two looked at each other, clearly trying to decide which one would answer him.

"You tell him," Crabbe grunted.

"No, you," Goyle said.

"I always have to," Crabbe whined. "It's your turn."

"Nuh-uh. It's yours."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yuh-huh."

Draco held himself from shouting obscenities. _If I let them continue I'll never find out anything._ "Shut up!" Draco glared at them. They immediately stopped arguing. "Goyle, tell me where you were."

"We were with our fathers setting up for Halloween."

Dread filled him, but he would not let himself show it. "Indeed. What were you doing?"

"I'm not allowed to tell you," Goyle replied.

He hmphed, but did not question any further. He left and went back to his dormitory. The seventh years came, but knew better than to disturb the blond when he was doing homework. It was a bad habit of Draco's to do his homework at the last minute. By the time he was done writing the two-feet essay for Binns, it was close to midnight and all his dorm mates were sleeping.

Draco glanced at the door which was slightly ajar. "Hello Potter."

The boy took off his Invisibility Cloak and appeared next to Draco.

Draco laid back on his pillows. "Been here long?"

Harry shook his head. 'Ten minutes.'

Draco wondered how someone could look so beautiful by candlelight. He beckoned Harry forward and closed his bed curtains. The candle on his nightstand provided the only light.

Harry climbed onto his bed and laid next to him. Draco felt his blood quicken at having him so close. Draco leaned down and kissed him. Harry's hands tugged at Draco's robes. He started in surprise when he felt something go through his body. Harry grinned and held up Draco's robes and tossed it on the floor.

"That's not fair," Draco pouted. "I have to remove yours physically."

Harry shrugged and sat up. Draco pulled the robe over the boy's head and it too was thrown to the ground. He sat back to admire the Gryffindor's well-toned body. It was muscular, but not overly so. His skin was a nice shade of bronze.

Draco reached out and touched his shoulder. His skin was so soft and smooth. His hands trailed up to his face, tracing his jawline. His fingers brushed across his slightly parted lips. Harry's eyes were closed. Draco took off his glasses and set them on the table. He leaned in to kiss him.

Harry's hands touched Draco's boxers, and the next thing he knew, Draco was completely naked.

"Remove yours," he commanded. He watched in awe as Harry's boxers seemed to sink through him. "That's amazing. I'm turned on."

Harry blushed and glanced down. 'Weren't you already?'

"Yes, but I'm more so now. You gotta tell me how to do that sometime."

Harry grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down onto the bed. 'Talk another time.'

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I know I know. They're moving fast. Yes, yes, yes. I told myself that, but I have a plot and if I make Draco and Harry play cat and mouse, I'll have over thirty chapters. And as for everything else, like how Lucius managed to get out of Azkaban, just wait for later chapters explaining that. Thank you once again for everyone who reviewed! I totally appreciate it. super-sailor-saturn39


	3. The Mystery That Is Harry

**Comments:** Thanks again for everyone that reviewed. I love you all! I apologize to anyone that emailed me asking for the original version for Chapter 2 and didn't get it. It's either I didn't get your email or I accidentally skipped you. If that is the case, please email me and tell me and I'll send it to you. And I apologize again for being late with Chapter 3. I would've typed it yesterday (Tuesday) and posted it, but I had to entertain my niece, nephew, and soon-to-be nephew since they spent the night here from Sunday until Tuesday. So sorry about that again. **_Alice from Wonderland:_** I'll explain why he jumped off his broom later. For now, just assume it's Gryffindor bravery and stupidity. And as for the Draco wanting Harry only for his-- er-- _thing_, it's not just that. Read closely when Draco admits that he has some kind of feeling for Harry. He'll be doing that a lot more in the future chapters. **_sexAy-iranian23:_** LOL. Your review made me laugh. And I think you meant a dementor, not a "dementy-whatsit". LOL  
**Rating:** R  
**Summary:** Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**IMPORTANT:** A small part of this chapter is a NC-17 scene. Of course I had to leave it out. If you want the real version, please email me and ask me and I'll be happy to send it to you.

**Butterfly Kisses **

**Chapter 3: The Mystery That Is Harry**

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Draco had his arm around the raven-haired boy, who had his head resting in the crook of Draco's neck. Harry left paths of tingling nerves on Draco's chest as he traced patterns on it in the darkness. The candle's flame had gone out right when Harry had hit his orgasm.

"Have you told Granger and Weasley about this?" Draco asked.

Harry shook his head.

"Wonder how they're going to react?" Draco mused. "I'd love to see their faces."

'We're having a Halloween party. Want to come?' The golden words lit up the dark with a soft glow.

Draco swallowed. "I can't."

He felt Harry sit up. 'Why not?'

"I've already made other plans."

'Cancel them.'

Draco was impatient. "Look Potter, I have to be some place else for Halloween. Besides, it would be hell if I showed up at a Gryffindor party."

'Please come.' His eyes were wide and looked pleadingly at him.

Draco could feel himself give way. That face was too innocent and child-like to resist. Draco had a bad feeling that Harry would be using that face a lot more in the future. "I said I couldn't."

'Please?'

He sighed, angry with himself for letting Harry have his way. "Fine. I won't be there 'til really late though." _I hope Lucius isn't planning to make me spend the night at the Manor._

'The password is 'Slytherin sucks'."

"How original," Draco said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

'Well you do.' Draco could see his grin. 'You're quite good at it, too.'

"Speaking of passwords, how did you get in here?"

'I waited for someone to open the door.'

"How do you get into your House if you don't talk?"

'I write it in the air. The Pink Lady knows me.'

Draco yawned and glanced at his clock. One o'clock. "I'm going to fall asleep in class tomorrow."

Harry kissed his chest. 'Go to sleep.'

"You have to go back to your dorm," Draco said sleepily. He felt Harry get up before he drifted off to sleep.

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"You two are horrible at Potions," Draco commented.

Slytherin was having double Potions with Gryffindor, and Draco had been paired up with Harry and Blaise. He was pleased with the arrangement, but could've been more so if both were good at Potions. So far Draco was the only one who had done anything.

Harry gave him a scathing look and Blaise just shrugged.

"If you would tell us what to do instead of muttering about how incompetent we are maybe we could help you," Blaise replied.

"Fine. Blaise, slice eight ounces of dragon liver into thin strips. Here's the stinging pollen weed. Don't just stand there, Potter. Start shredding it," Draco said. He hid the urge to laugh at the scowl Harry gave him.

"What are we making again?" Blaise asked.

"Fool's Curse."

"And that is...?"

Draco sighed. "Don't you listen to anything Professor Snape says? It's a potion that will make the drinker believe anything the maker says."

"Wonderful! I love potions that mess with my mind. People aren't enough," Blaise smiled.

Draco snorted. He looked to his left and saw Harry's lips twitch. Harry met his eyes and handed him the stinging pollen weed. Draco added it to the brown potion which immediately turned a dark violet.

"OK. We're suppose to let it boil for exactly six minutes and thirty-five seconds, then the dragon liver goes in," Draco read off the board.

All three sat back and waited. Blaise had hidden a magazine in his Potions book and was reading it. The rest of the class was busy making their potion. Draco's hand crept to Harry's thigh under the table. The table shook slightly when Harry jumped. Draco smirked.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Potter?" Snape said from his desk.

Draco watched in amusement as Harry furiously shook his head. Draco continued to stroke him under the table. Harry closed his eyes and a loud moan was heard in the silent classroom as he came. Draco removed his hand and sat back. The whole class was looking at Harry with surprise in their eyes. The black-haired boy turned a deep red.

Snape looked at him with displeasure. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for disturbing the class. If you interrupt the class again it will be fifty. Do you understand, Mr. Potter?"

Harry nodded. The rest of the class gradually returned to their work. Green eyes glared at him, but Draco pretended not to notice. He added the liver and stirred the now orange potion. Blaise was snickering at him.

"You had to do it in Snape's class?" he whispered.

Draco smirked. "Yes. I though it'd be interesting to see what would happen."

"You boyfriend doesn't look too happy."

"He'll probably make me pay later," Draco said nonchalantly. He added the last ingredient, gave the potion one last stir, filled a vial with it, and capped it. "Here Blaise, go give it to Snape."

Blaise obeyed and took the orange vial from him. Gold letters appeared on Draco's book. 'You're a bastard.'

He smiled. "Thank you."

'You shouldn't have done that. I'm so embarrassed.'

"They're probably going to be shocked that you made a noise rather than the reason for it."

'Thanks to you my boxers are wet.'

Draco nearly laughed out loud which earned him another glare from Harry. The black-haired boy began to clean up the table. The bell rang just as they were done cleaning up. He watched in amusement as Harry ran out of the classroom.

"Harry! Wait up for us!" Weasley called.

"What's his problem?" he heard Granger ask the redhead. They both ran after Harry.

_Oh_,_ nothing,_ Draco thought. _Golden Boy just couldn't control himself._ Gathering his things he left to go to Arithmancy. As he was climbing the stairs to the second floor, he was pushed aside by a group of students running up the stairs. He stopped himself from yelling something rude after them when he realized they were professors. Why were they in such a rush?

Draco's hand shot out and pulled on Neville Longbottom's robes when he was about to run past Draco. The chubby boy lost his balance and fell, trying to stop himself from toppling down the stairs. He looked up at Draco with surprise and fear in his eyes. The fear that the boy had always felt toward Draco was purely entertaining to the blond.

"Longbottom!" Draco barked, noting with satisfaction that the boy winced. "What's going on?"

The boy swallowed. "H-Hermione sent me to get P-Professor Dumbledore, b-because H-Harry-"

Draco didn't hear the rest of his sentence. He was already running toward the Gryffindor Tower. His mind was racing. _What could possibly be wrong with Harry? I hope my ministrations to him in Potions have nothing to do with it._ Draco would've laughed at the notion if the situation weren't so serious.

He skidded to a halt in front of the picture of the Fat Lady. "Open up," he panted.

She gave him a superior look. "I need the password."

"Fuck the password!" he snapped. "Open the fuck up! It's an emergency."

Her lips thinned. "I cannot open up until you say the password."

Draco was losing his temper and his worry over Harry wasn't helping much. His heart was beating like crazy and his mind was coming up with horrible images of what might be wrong with his lover. His brain was pounding as if it wanted to escape from his skull. He suddenly saw a wall that was a violent shade of red in his mind's eye. Though the wall looked solid, it was also see-through. Finding the wall to be irritating and distracting, he mentally pushed against it to get rid of it. Draco somehow knew that if his mind could get through the wall, it would disappear. He felt himself slide through the wall, shivering at the cold feeling that suddenly washed over him. The wall disappeared and he was able to concentrate on the present. A hole in the wall where the portrait of the Fat Lady had been met his eyes. Not bothering to wonder what had just gone on, he rushed into the hole. He heard voices up the right flight of stairs and ran up it. Draco saw an open door where the noise was coming from. He stopped in front of it and gave an inaudible gasp.

The three professors were standing a couple of meters away from the door with Weasley and Granger next to them. Draco was tall so he could see over McGonagall's head. Objects were flying around the room, occasionally smashing into the walls or another object and breaking. Broken glass littered the floor and sometimes the shards flew up to join the flying objects. And amidst this chaos was Harry standing in the middle of the room, ripping what appeared to be a piece of parchment, oblivious to everything around him. His face was screwed up in anger.

"Harry!" Dumbledore had to shout over the loud clangs of the objects hitting each other. "You must calm down and let us help you!" A blue shield surrounded the five people when large pieces of glass came at them.

"Tell us what's wrong!" Granger sounded close to tears.

When Harry showed no sign of even hearing them, Dumbledore turned to Snape. "Can you reach his mind?"

Snape aimed his wand at Harry. "_Legilimens._"

Draco caught the professor as he flew backwards. Draco was pushed against the wall and flinched when he felt a bump on his head from the impact.

"Thank you, Draco," Snape said getting up. He took another look at the blond. "What are you doing here? How did-"

"Professor, there will be time for questions later," Dumbledore said, looking over his shoulder at teacher and student.

"I can't get into his mind. He has a very powerful barrier around it as you could tell."

"We have to calm him down," McGonagall sounded desperate. "He'll destroy everything or hurt himself if he keeps this up."

"How are we supposed to, Professor?" Granger asked anxiously. "We can't get near him and he can't hear us."

"Let me through," Draco said. All five pairs of eyes turned to him.

"You?!" Weasley bellowed. "I'm sure he'll really be calmed at the sight of _you_."

Draco ignored him and looked straight into blue eyes which were staring back at him thoughtfully. Dumbledore finally nodded.

"Alright Mr. Malfoy. I'll put a protection cha-"

"That won't be necessary," he interrupted. Somehow he knew that Harry would get even more unsettled if he was exposed to any more magic.

"Are you sure?"" Dumbledore asked.

Draco nodded and stepped out of his shield. He began walking, not taking his eyes off the raven-haired Gryffindor who was physically picking random objects out of the air and hurling it across the room. Draco dodged a bottle of ink. He could hear the sound of glass under his feet. Harry took no notice of him and kept throwing things. He was only ten feet away now. He felt something warm running down his cheek. It wasn't until a metallic flavour entered his mouth did he realize it was blood.

"Harry," he said gently, still slowly walking to the Gryffindor. "Come here, Harry."

Wild green eyes stared into silver. An outraged yell escaped from Harry as he threw a knife at Draco. Draco moved quickly to the side, but wasn't fast enough to escape unscathed. The knife grazed his left arm and cut him. An aching pain made his left arm feel numb, but he didn't stop walking. Harry was within touching distance now. With a start he realized that Harry didn't recognize him. His eyes were full of anger and fear, and was that... pain?

Draco grabbed the boy in a tight embrace before he could throw anything else at him. Harry's body was trembling and he was struggling to break free and release his arms which were pinned to his sides.

"It's all right, Harry. It's Draco. Calm down, baby," Draco murmured soothingly. "You're safe. I got you," he placed a tender kiss on his neck. Harry stopped struggling. Both boys sank to the floor, Draco still holding onto him. The trembling stopped a few moments later. He heard all of the objects falling to the ground. He loosened his embrace on Harry, but didn't let go. The Gryffindor's body was rigid.

"Relax. It's all right," Draco ran a hand over his back. His body gradually settled into Draco's. He rested his head on the Slytherin's shoulder. He felt his robes getting wet and realized that Harry was crying.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. Draco glanced up and saw that all of them were looking at him with stunned expressions on their faces. Weasley looked like a fish struggling to breathe on land; Granger's eyes were impossibly wide; a slightly disgusted and appalled look graced Snape's face; McGonagall looked politely shocked; and Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.

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There's the third chapter. Hoped you enjoyed it. super-sailor-saturn39


	4. You Poisoned Him!

**Comments:** Thank you once again to everyone who reviewed! You guys rock! **_Alice from Wonderland:_** I hope you revive soon! Your reviews are really encouraging. **_animagus20:_** Yes, Draco did see an image of a barrier in his mind, and as I said, he pushed through it mentally and he was able to break the wards protecting the Gryffindor entrance, thus he was able to enter. He's almost a full-grown boy, and since McGonagall is a female, I expect Draco to be tall enough to look over McGonagall's head. The blood that ran down Draco's cheek was his, not Harry's. And as the problem with Harry, read this chapter and you'll see. Who pulled who first into the kiss? Well, I'll leave that up to you to decide. You like details, don't you? **_texasjeanette:_** You're quite the psychologist. **_Lain-Iris:_** Do I get a cookie now? LOL **_Everyone:_** Thank you for all of your encouragements and compliments! I appreciate it a LOT!  
**Rating:** R  
**Summary:** Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**IMPORTANT:** I don't know if this chapter should be NC-17 rated, because there's a scene with Draco and Harry. But if it is, please email me and tell me and I'll edit it out. I don't want to get into trouble with Thanks!

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 4: You Poisoned Him!**

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"Professor McGonagall, if you would take both boys to the hospital wing. We'll stay here and clean this mess up," Dumbledore said.

Draco let Harry go and stood up. He helped the slightly smaller boy to his feet. He was glad that Harry's eyes were emerald instead of the dark green that they had been.

Harry was able to walk to the hospital wing unaided. Professor McGonagall kept looking at the two, but did not utter a word. Madam Pomfrey tsked when she saw the Slytherin and the Gryffindor and sat them on different beds.

"Did you two get in a fight again? I honestly don't think a day can go by without you two jumping each other," she chattered, oblivious to McGonagall's wide-eyed look and Harry's flush of embarrassment. Draco found that Pomfrey was the only one in the room that took the meaning in a non-sexual way. He thought it highly amusing.

"Take your robes off," the nurse instructed them.

Draco let her fuss over him while he eyed Harry's body appreciatively. Even under his jeans and t-shirt Draco could see his well-formed body. The raven-haired boy blushed and managed to give Draco a seductive smile. Draco looked away from him, thinking that it wouldn't be a good thing to have a hard-on while Madam Pomfrey was examining him. She might get the wrong idea.

His wounds were cleaned and his arm was wrapped in bandages. The cut wasn't deep, but it wasn't shallow either. It began aching again, but Draco didn't say anything. He wanted to be left alone with Harry.

After what seemed like hours the nurse left with McGonagall. Draco got down from his bed and began walking to the other boy, striding in that confident way of his. Harry followed his every move with hungry eyes.

"You owe me an explanation," Draco stopped in front of him.

Harry wrapped his hands around the blond's waist and pulled him down on the bed. Draco broke the fall with his hands. Harry lifted his head for a kiss, which Draco did not give him. Draco straddled the Gryffindor's hips and sat up. An aristocratic eyebrow went up when something hard poked at him. Harry looked up at him with reddened cheeks.

"No explanation, no sex," the Slytherin said.

He pouted and gave Draco that pleading wide-eyed look he had used the night before. It disappeared when Draco firmly shook his head.

'Stubborn Slytherin.' The words were a bit difficult to read due to the bright light coming through the windows.

Draco smirked at him and straightened his shirt as he waited for Harry to continue.

'Voldemort sent me something that made me remember.'

"Remember what?" Curiosity was shining in the silver irises.

'Why I shouldn't talk.'

Draco whistled. "Must've been a hell of a reminder to get you so pissed off like that."

Harry gave him a sheepish grin. 'Sorry. It's hard to control myself when I'm mad.'

"Obviously. You nearly made me lose my arm," the platinum blond showed him his bandaged arm.

'I'm sorry.' He gave Draco a searching look. 'I thought you were someone else.'

Draco drew back at the intensity of Harry's eyes that it had just recently acquired. The jade eyes scanned his face as if looking for something. There was a shadowed hope in the green depths that didn't want to find what he was looking for.

As quickly as the searching look had come it disappeared in the same manner. Draco was left in a perplexed and disoriented state of mind, something that the Malfoy heir had never experienced in his seventeen years on the Earth and he found the feeling quite disconcerting.

'Stop looking in my eyes and the feeling will go away.'

Draco blinked and did as Harry instructed. Instantly his mind was devoid of the confusion that it had just felt. Instead it was replaced with curiosity at what had occurred between the dark-haired boy and himself.

"What was that?'

Harry looked away from him, his eyes taking on a look of guilt.

"Potter..." Draco growled in a dangerous voice.

The green-eyed boy bit his lower lip and winced. 'I accidentally went into your mind.'

The blond sat up straighter, moving his hips against Harry's, eliciting a moan from the lust-filled Gryffindor. Draco, however, didn't seem to notice as he was carefully pondering what Harry had just said.

Merlin, the boy was bloody powerful! Though Draco wasn't too cheerful about the fact that Harry could penetrate his mind so easily, he had to admire how strong Harry was. But then he had to be if he was planning to defeat Voldemort.

After the initial shock of the extent of Harry's powers, Draco began to feel angry with the innocent-looking boy beneath him. There were many things stored in his head that plagued the recesses of his mind and Draco didn't want Harry to uncover them without his consent.

His eyes darkened to a thick, smoky grey. "Don't ever do that again without my permission."

Harry gave him a doleful look. 'It was an accident.'

Draco's lips twitched as he tried not to show his amusement at his lover's endearing eyes. "Don't let it happen again."

He stuck out his tongue. 'Heard you the first time.'

Draco bent to kiss him. Harry opened his mouth eagerly to accept the blond's. The Slytherin suddenly found himself on the bottom. Harry straddled his hips, his lips leaving Draco's to kiss and bite his way down the pale boy's neck. He found himself groaning from the pain and pleasure as he moved his head to the side to give Harry better access. He felt a tugging on the buttons of his shirt. He helped Harry unbutton them. The raven-haired boy slipped his hand into Draco's trousers. Draco bit Harry's lower lip and moaned.

Harry's fingers played with Draco's arousal until he was wishing he hadn't worn any pants. Draco bit his lip to keep from begging Harry to give him release. His Malfoy pride would not allow it.

Teasing green eyes met his. Harry closed his mouth over a pink nipple, making Draco grip the bedsheets. He arched into Harry when he felt sharp teeth grazing the sensitive skin.

"Harry," his voice was thick with longing.

Harry withdrew his hand from Draco's trousers and released his nipple from his mouth. He got off of the blond and stood next to the bed.

Draco lifted his head weakly. "Harry?"

The green-eyed Gryffindor smiled mischievously at him and began backing away. Draco watched as he calmly sat on the other bed, his face blank.

"What do you think you're doing?" Draco demanded. "Get over here and finish what you started!"

Draco narrowed his eyes when Harry shook his head.

"Potter," he growled.

Harry looked innocently at him.

The Malfoy heir felt his temper rising. "If you don't get over here I won't touch you for a week."

The emerald eyes showed incredulity at the threat. 'That's what you get for doing what you did in Snape's class.'

Draco would've whacked himself, but of course he didn't since Malfoys never did something as undignified as that. He had known Harry would've paid him back for doing what he did in Potions. His head fell back on the bed.

"Prick," he muttered bitterly. He gracefully got up from the bed and went to the bathroom to fix his problem. When he came out, Dumbledore was sitting in a chair and talking to Harry.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Please come and have a seat."

"I already came," Draco said under his breath as he sat on the same bed that Harry was on. Harry looked at him and grinned at his comment. Draco scowled at him.

"I hope you two are feeling well."

Harry nodded at the Headmaster.

"Good. I was wondering if you could tell me how you got into the Gryffindor rooms, Mr. Malfoy?'

"That Fat Lady let me in," he lied. In all honesty he had no idea how he had managed to get the Portrait open.

Dumbledore smiled at him. "The odd thing is the Pink Lady told me that you never gave her the password."

Draco sighed. What was the point of lying to the old man? He knew everything anyway. He tried to explain about the red wall that had appeared in his mind and what had happened. "-then I pushed against it with my mind and it seemed like I just kind of went through it, and then I realized that the portrait had swung open."

Dumbledore was silent after Draco's explanation. His blue eyes were clouded in deep thought. Draco leaned against the bed's headboard and stretched out his longs legs. He pulled Harry next to him and sat the green-eyed boy between his legs. Harry immediately settled into Draco and rested his head on the blond's chest. It was only when he felt Harry's hair tickling his chest that he remembered with apathy that his shirt was completely unbuttoned.

Dumbledore looked at the two on the bed with somewhat amazed eyes. Enemies have now become lovers? He had noticed in the past month how each one gave the other a surreptitious look when he thought that the other wasn't looking. He was relieved that Harry wasn't in danger in Draco's company. Of course the Malfoy heir still had to prove his loyalty to Dumbledore, but he was sure Draco wasn't planning to serve Voldemort.

"Mr. Malfoy, you do know that the entrances to the Houses are very heavily protected. Some have tried to get in by force and still have failed. You cannot go into a House without knowing the password. What you have done is you found the spells with your mind and broke them. That is a very rare and powerful gift that you have, Mr. Malfoy. Have you done that with other spells before?"

"When I was eight I unlocked my father's study in the same way," Draco said as he lazily ran his hand through Harry's hair. "Then I turned Blaise back into himself in fourth year without my wand when Pansy turned him into a parrot."

Dumbledore nodded. "Please come and see me later. Harry, would you tell me what got you so angry that you would lose control?"

Harry closed his eyes. 'Voldemort sent me a piece of paper that said 'Remember' on it. Then as soon as I touched the parchment, he sent me images and I remembered things quite vividly.'

Draco unconsciously tightened his grip on Harry.

"Perhaps I shall start checking your letters for you. It's very dangerous when you can't control you powers, Harry."

He nodded.

Dumbledore stood up. "Both you and Mr. Malfoy will start training with Professor Snape starting the day after Halloween. He'll come and tell you what time and place."

Harry's eyes opened. 'Snape?'

"I'm sorry that I can't train you right now, Harry. Professor Snape is quite talented at wandless magic, and he knows a bit about Draco's Gift."

'Why do I need more training? I already know how to do wandless magic.'

Dumbledore smiled gently at Harry. "I know you do, but there are much more advanced spells and such that you must master."

Harry's face darkened. 'I still don't see how Snape can help me with that. If anything he'll make me lose control.'

"All the more reason for you to learn to control your powers at all times."

He scowled and looked away from the Headmaster. Dumbledore bade them farewell, which neither boy responded to, and left. They both sat in silence for a few minutes, Harry sulking, and Draco very amused. Snape wasn't really that bad. He just preferred the Slytherins much more than he did the other Houses. Or did that make him bad?

'It's not fair. I hate Snape.'

"Yeah, well you hated me and now we're fucking each other."

Harry looked up at him and made a face. 'Are you saying that me and Snape are going to be doing unmentionable things to each other soon?'

Draco paled at the mental images. "Eugh."

Harry grinned. 'Not very pretty, eh?'

The blond Slytherin traced Harry's famous scar with his index finger. Harry snuggled closer to him, burying his face in the Slytherin's stomach. Draco laid down and started stroking Harry's back. Emerald eyes fluttered closed. A few minutes later Harry was asleep.

Draco admired the sleeping Gryffindor. He looked very peaceful when he was sleeping. His mouth wasn't in its usual frown of worry.

"Merlin, you poisoned him!" a voice cried out.

Draco looked over to the doorway and saw Weasley and Granger. The redhead looked absolutely horrified and the Mudblood was glaring daggers at him.

"Don't be a moron, Weasel, though it does seem to come naturally to you. If I had poisoned him, do you think I would have stuck around until you and your Mudblood girlfriend found me?" Draco sneered.

Weasley's face turned a darker shade of red. "Don't call her that! Her blood may not be pure, but she has ten times the brains you have!"

"You'd think the smartest witch in the school would find a good reason to dump you. I already have a reason, and Merlin knows she stares at it every time she looks at you," Draco said smoothly.

"Looks aren't everything!" Granger snapped. "But I suppose you're too conceited and arrogant to know that!"

"In Weasley's case, looks _are_ everything. If he doesn't have that, and I'm here to attest that he doesn't, he really doesn't have much going for him, now does he?"

"Fuck you, Malfoy!" he yelled.

Draco smiled coolly. "I'm afraid Harry already has that honour."

They both visibly paled dramatically. Draco concluded that it was one of the wonders of life to see someone's face change from red to white in less than a second.

"I'm going to be sick," Granger groaned.

"You bastard!" Weasley screamed. "Did you put Harry under the Imperius Curse, because I bloody well know he wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick!"

Draco smirked. "His broomstick isn't _that_ long."

When the two Gryffindors caught his meaning, they both indeed looked sick.

Harry stirred and opened his eyes. He looked at Draco and then at his two best friends. Draco saw the worried look appear in the jade-green eyes.

"Harry, what the hell is going on?" Weasley asked.

The raven-haired boy bit his bottom lip. He looked up at Draco. The Slytherin stopped stroking his back.

'Can I talk to Hermione and Ron alone?'

Draco moved Harry to a sitting position, seeing as the Gryffindor was reluctant to move away, and got up from the bed. He stretched, knowing perfectly well that he had a to-die-for body and also that he was totally gorgeous. He stalked over to get his robes, pretending to not notice Harry's hungry eyes and the very grudging admiration of the other two.

He shot Weasley and Granger a smirk and leaned down to kiss Harry. He brushed his lips across Harry's before dipping his head for a very passionate kiss that had Harry blushing when Draco pulled away. He raised an eyebrow and left the hospital wing, the two gaping Gryffindors, and a very horny Boy-Who-Lived.

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I hoped you liked this chapter! Now go and review and make your author happy so she'll continue to write! super-sailor-saturn39


	5. The Quidditch Pitch Serves Other Purpose...

**Comments:** Thanks so much for everyone who reviewed! Your suggestions and helpful critiques help me a lot! **_JesPaiTha:_** No, Draco didn't put that curse on him. **_Tigerlily0688:_** My writing is crisp? I never thought of it as refreshing... But thank you for the compliment! **_My Divinest:_** You got your name under the **Comments**. LOL. No one knows yet what made Harry not talk. You'll just have to keep reading to find out what happened. **_Lain-Iris:_** I guess I don't get another cookie... **_spirtfox:_** Yes, you'll find out what happened to Harry. But I don't think it'll be for a while. Other plots must unfold. smiles evilly **_Everyone:_** Your reviews are helping me a lot! Don't be afraid to give me helpful critiques, because I cannot fix my flaws if I don't know what they are! I love you all!  
**Rating:** R  
**Summary:** Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**IMPORTANT:** This chapter contains a deleted NC-17 part. Please email me if you want it.

**Butterfly Kisses **

**Chapter 5: The Quidditch Pitch Serves Other Purposes**

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"You wanted to see me." It wasn't a question. Draco went and sat in an armchair.

Dumbledore looked at the confident Slytherin from his desk. "Hello, Mr. Malfoy. I wanted to discuss your Gift further."

Draco leaned his head back. "Ask away."

"Are those three times that you mentioned the only times you've used your Gift?"

Draco shrugged. "I think so."

"Tell me about the first time you remember using it."

"My father had taken away my broomstick, because I had talked back to my mother. He locked it in his study with a locking spell. I was mad, because Blaise and I were supposed to go flying that day, and I wanted to show off my new broom.

"I stole my mother's wand and tried to unlock the door, but it just wouldn't work. I got really mad and I saw that wall again, only it wasn't as thick as when I saw it earlier. I pushed against it and you know what happened."

"And the other time?"

"Well, Pansy decided to curse Blaise, because he had turned her down for a date. Everyone started screaming and panicking when they found that nobody knew the counter-curse for turning a human into a parrot. I was doing homework and their screaming gave me a headache. I got mad and Blaise repeating everything I said only made it worse. My mind didn't show me a wall this time, though. It showed me a kind of puzzle. When I put the puzzle of Blaise's human form together, which took a while, he turned back into himself."

Dumbledore nodded. "I see. It seems that you trigger your Gift when you're feeling intense emotions. This Gift is quite extraordinary. There are only a handful of witches and wizards in the magical world that can do what you do. If you can learn to control it, it will be an excellent weapon to use as a spy."

Draco froze at the mention of the 'Ceremony' for him on Halloween. What horrors would he be exposed to because of the Dark Mark? He sometimes heard Blaise screaming from nightmares. Whenever that happed Draco would case a Silencing spell around his friend's bed so his other roommates wouldn't be awoken. He never mentioned any of this to Blaise, though. The boy seemed to want to keep his nightmares to himself.

"You don't have to receive the Dark Mark," the aging wizard said gently. "Going into hiding is not a coward's way out."

A hard, determined look crossed the pale face. "I'll spy and help bring that bastard down."

Dumbledore decided not to comment on Draco's language. "May I ask why you've decided to betray your father and turn on the way of life you were raised to?"

Draco looked straight into his eyes. "A Malfoy does not obey and kiss other people's boots, especially that of a half-blood. My father must think differently, and I do not agree. I may be a spy for you, but only because I want the Dark Lord gone, not because I support your side. My father has disgraced the Malfoy name, and it has shamed every one of my relatives. Perhaps it will be restored when the Dark Lord is gone." Draco decided that that was all the Headmaster needed to know. The rest was too personal.

Dumbledore said nothing, but Draco knew that Dumbledore was aware that there was more to it. "Be careful, my dear boy. Now go to supper. It's just begun."

Draco got up and left the office.

----------

The next day was gloomy. Grey, ominous clouds hung over the castle, and as if fulfilling its threat, it began to rain a little after noon. Draco's mood suited him perfectly to the weather. His fellow Slytherins, sensing the Slytherin leader's mood, steered clear of his path. Only the amazingly dim-witted Crabbe and Goyle seemed oblivious to their capricious leader. Pansy just didn't care what mood Draco was in.

Draco could not pay attention to anything that the teachers aid, nor did he bother to try to listen. He was too worried about his Initiation the following day. Anyone who was valiant enough to try to talk to him was either met with a hex or two.

"Draaaaaco!" Pansy whined. "You're not listening to me!"

The blond silently counted to twenty. "As impossible as it may seem I have something more important to do than to listen to you."

"Draaaaaco!"

"Stay with her!" he snarled to Crabbe and Goyle. He rubbed his temples as he went to find some peace and quiet. Didn't that damn girl know when to leave him alone?

The far side of the lake proved to be the only place where he could be alone. He had a free period so he stayed there in the rain until the next class was going to being.

He slowly got down from the rock he was sitting on and began walking toward the castle. He was soaking wet, but he didn't bother to conjure an umbrella. He'd always liked the rain.

Draco did a drying spell when he entered the doors.

'There you are.' Harry stood at the foot of the stairs. 'What were you doing out in the rain? Trying to get sick?'

"Don't act like a mother, Potter. Eugh, that mental image is quite disturbing. Shouldn't you be in class?" he asked.

'Shouldn't you be?'

The Slytherin scowled. "Alright, so you might have a point."

'What were you doing out there, anyway?'

"Making wild passionate love with Pansy."

Green eyes widened.

Draco sighed in exasperation. "Why are you so dumb? Gullible Gryffindor."

Harry crossed his arms indignantly. 'I'm not dumb!'

Sceptical grey eyes looked at him, but Draco changed the subject. "Why were you looking for me?'

Harry bit his lower lip and looked away.

Understanding dawned on Draco. "We didn't fuck last night," a sly grin crossed his face. "Scared that I might be losing interest in you, Potter?"

'No!' Harry still averted Draco's eyes.

"You're horrible at lying. Well, just to let you know, you're still my sex toy and you'll have to wait till later tonight to get shagged. Now I need to get to History."

He could tell that his lover was stunned at being dismissed so quickly. _I love being unpredictable,_ he smirked as he made his way up the stairs.

----------

Quiet grumbles could be heard from the members of the Slytherin Quidditch Team as they struggled to control their brooms against the fierce wind. Of course they kept quiet when their captain was around. It didn't seem worth it to have to face furious grey eyes and do endless flying drills all because of a few complaints.

All six Slytherins winced when Draco barked at them to do six laps around the pitch. Once they were sure he wasn't in hearing range, grumbles could be heard again.

"Can't we be done?" Blaise whined. "It's pouring and we're all going to die of pneumonia if we don't get out of the rain soon. Pomfrey's out of that potion."

The others stopped to see if Draco would give in to the only one brave enough to speak his mind to the Seeker.

"Did I tell you to stop?" Draco bellowed. He watched in satisfaction as they all took off. He turned to look at his dark-haired friend with an angry expression. "We'll stop when I say so," he snapped.

Blaise was completely unfazed. "Well, someone hasn't gotten lucky today," he said and flew off before the Seeker could hex him.

He dismissed his soaking wet team ten minutes later. They all rushed to their locker room, anxious to get out of the rain. Draco flew down to the ground and dismounted. He grabbed his broom and began walking, only to find that he couldn't move his body.

_What idiot would dare cast a spell on_ me? he thought furiously, moving his eyes to see if he could spot said idiot. After a quick scan of the empty expanse of grass in front of him, he deduced that the caster was behind him. He turned even more furious when a thought occurred to him. _Harry._ He was the only one who would hex Draco Malfoy.

"Potter!" Draco yelled. "Take this spell off this instant!"

He heard Harry walk up behind him then to his front. A lazy smile was on his lips. Greens eyes stared intently into grey.

'What's wrong, Draco?'

"I'm going to _Avada Kedavra_ your fine arse if you don't take off this spell," he growled.

Harry reached up and traced Draco's lips with his fingers. Draco captured Harry's fingers between his teeth and bit down. Harry's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth opened in a silent scream of pain. Draco let his fingers go, smirking at the stunned look on his face.

'You prick!" Harry sucked on his fingers as he shot Draco an angry look. 'That hurt!'

"A lesson in life that you need to learn, Potter. _Never mess with a Malfoy._"

A black eyebrow shot up. Harry let his now aching fingers out of his mouth. He stepped closer to the blond. 'Don't you know? I never learn my lessons.' His hand travelled to cradle Draco's head as he took the smirking mouth into his hungry one.

----------

Once Draco regained his breathing he withdrew himself from Harry and laid beside him on the ground. He winced when he sunk into the very wet and soft ground. "Bloody hell," he groaned. "If I get a cold, you're going to die."

Harry gave him an innocent look and smiled sweetly. He waved a hand and Draco found himself clean of their activity. Draco sat up and began to dress.

"Holy shit," a stunned voice said behind them.

They both spun around. The whole Slytherin team met their eyes with shocked expressions on their faces. Draco cursed when he remembered that they had just shagged on the Quidditch pitch for all the world to see. Harry, still stark naked, hid behind Draco.

"Er-" when had he started saying er?

"Bloody hell," Theodore Nott breathed. "That was incredible!"

Murmurs of agreement were heard.

Draco crossed his arms in indignation. "And how long have you lot been standing there?"

A few of them blinked, the sound of their captain's voice bringing them out of thoughts on what they wanted to do and who with.

"We pretty much saw the whole show," Blaise said.

"What I wouldn't pay to see _that_ again," a Chaser commented.

"What I wouldn't pay to join them," another said.

Draco scowled at them. For once they were only slightly intimidated. A sopping wet Draco, his face still flushed from the aftermath of sex, inspired awe, not fear.

"What were you doing still out in the Quidditch pitch? I thought you wanted to go inside so bad."

"We saw Potter," Theodore explained. "We wanted to see what would happen."

"We weren't disappointed," one of them added.

Draco was about to retort when he felt Harry press closer to him. The shorter boy was shivering and his teeth were chattering. His robes were laying ten feet away from them.

Draco took out his wand. "_Accio robes._" He did a drying spell on the robes and handed it to Harry who gave him a grateful look and put it on. Draco did the spell on himself, knowing that he would get soaked again if he didn't get out of the rain.

"Expect practice on Saturday morning at seven in the morning," Draco said curtly.

"Aww! Draco!" Blaise whined. "Saturday's my day to sleep in!"

Draco smirked as he picked up his broom and started walking toward the exit. "You should've thought of that before you decided to spy on me." Harry ran to catch up to him.

'I can't believe they saw us.' His cheeks were red.

Draco shrugged. "We did shag in the middle of the Quidditch pitch."

'Do you think they saw me do wandless magic?'

"Is it so important that nobody knows?"

'Yes.'

Draco was more worried about his father finding out. His Initiation Ceremony was in less than twenty-four hours. What would happen when the Dark Lord found out? Draco could think of many possibilities, all of which weren't pleasant.

He stopped dead in his tracks. What if the Dark Lord killed him? If he decided to probe Draco's mind he would find out that Draco was a traitor and had some weird feelings for Harry Potter. Nobody would even think to stop Voldemort if he decided to kill Draco. His father wouldn't even bat an eyelid.

'Draco?' Harry's uncertain fingers on his cheek brought him out of his thoughts. 'Are you alright? You kind of spaced out.'

Draco pulled away from him. "I'm fine," he said irritably. He knew that it was unfair of him to be vexed at Harry for being so oblivious to the sacrifices of witches and wizards, be it death or not, just so that the Boy-Who-Lived could continue to do so. Draco was going to join the numbers.

He ignored Harry's frown and walked to the Great Hall for supper. By the looks of the empty hall, supper had been done with quite a long time ago. Draco went and sat down at the Slytherin table and food suddenly appeared in front of him. Harry came and sat down next to him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Draco asked, picking at his food.

Harry straddled the bench and grinned at him. 'I'm here to feed you.'

"Feed me," Draco repeated dumbly.

'Yes, feed you. You haven't been eating properly since Sunday.'

"My eating habits are none of your business, Potter."

Harry raised his eyebrows as Draco continued to play with his food. 'It is if I make it.'

"Well, aren't you just the mo-" Harry popped a piece of broccoli into the ice blond's mouth. Draco started coughing.

'Chew and swallow.'

Draco did so since spitting it out would be un-Malfoyish and choking would be undignified. The red colour that appeared when one was choking did nothing for his hair anyway.

Harry smiled. 'Good boy.'

"I'm not a child so don't treat me li-" another morsel of food was thrown into his mouth, this time a big piece of chicken. Draco stared daggers at the Gryffindor who was looking at him patiently. Once the chicken was chewed and swallowed, Draco opened his mouth to tell him off. Harry quickly put more chicken into Draco's mouth. Draco tried to growl at him, but the chicken he was swallowing stopped him.

"Potter-" he held up a hand to deflect a carefully aimed carrot, "I can feed myself. If you continue to use this method of feeding me you'll cause me to die of asphyxiation, which, I might remind you, is _not_ how I want to die."

'Oh? And how are you planning to die?'

"Like my great-grandfather."

'What happened to him?'

"He gracefully fell off his broom."

'Wow. Must've been a mighty fall.'

"I'll have you know, Potter, that he was only three feet from the ground. He only fell because he was having a heart attack. A fatal heart attack, I might add."

Harry raised his eyebrows. 'Why would you want to die with a pained expression on your face?'

Draco looked affronted. "Malfoys are very gifted at hiding our emotions. My grandfather died with a peaceful look on his face," he snorted. "Pained expression indeed."

Harry rolled his eyes. 'It seems like vanity runs in your family.'

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking your best."

'Yes, but there's something wrong with spending hours in front of a mirror.'

"I do not spend _hours_ in front of a mirror," the blond sniffed. "Just one."

'I don't know why you spend even a minute looking at your reflection. You're almost the hottest guy in Hogwarts.'

"I never knew you to be so flatter- Hey!" Draco exclaimed. "What do you mean _almost_?"

'Terry Boot in Ravenclaw is VERY good looking.'

Draco felt a pang of jealousy. He was annoyed at himself for feeling like this, especially when he knew Harry had said that just to tease him. Draco decided to play along. See how the Gryffindor would feel to think that Draco didn't have eyes only for him.

"I say that Dean Thomas in your House is ten times better than Terry Boot. Best looking guy in Gryffindor in fact."

To his satisfaction, Harry's eyes darkened. Draco saw the jealousy he had felt moments before reflected in the jade irises. Harry scowled at him.

'Oh? Then why aren't you with him?'

Draco shrugged, trying for an apathetic tone of voice. "Already done." He watched as Harry's cheeks turned an angry red.

'What, did you shag my whole House?'

Draco pretended to ponder. "I think so. Most of the sixth and seventh years anyway. Except for that Mudblood."

Harry stood up angrily. His eyes were sparkling, whether with rage at Draco for calling Granger a Mudblood or at the Slytherin himself, Draco did not know. _Probably both,_ he decided.

"Potter!" Draco called as Harry stormed off. "I thought you were going to feed me? I'm not eating," he added when Harry didn't stop.

As predicted, Harry stopped. He stood still, his back to Draco. It looked as if he were fighting with himself. After a few moments he turned around and began walking back to his blond lover. Anger fought with concern in the emerald depths, the latter winning.

Draco smirked at Harry. The dark-haired boy sat down. He picked up a fork and viciously stabbed a broccoli, holding it to Draco's mouth. Draco obediently opened his mouth and carefully took the vegetable into his mouth. Harry speared some chicken and held it out to him. Draco didn't eat much, having a feeling that he'd see it again soon.

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I'm sooo sorry this took so long to get out! I was busy all last week with getting ready for my party and helping my mom at work. I'll post the sixth chapter sometime this week to make it up to you! I apologize again. super-sailor-saturn39


	6. The Dark Mark

**Comments:** Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! **_jen:_** Harry doesn't know about the Initiation Ceremony yet. Draco will tell him later in the next chapter. **_Yana5:_** I guess he does like having Harry feed him. LOL **_Everyone:_** Your reviews are helping a lot, as I've said lots of times, but this doesn't make it any less true! Chapter 7 is proving hard to write... I'm stuck on this one part, and I hope it passes quickly so I can get it done in time to post it on Tuesday. Pray that this stupid writer's block (which is the first one I've had since starting this fic) will go away.  
**Rating: **R  
**Summary:** Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 6: The Dark Mark**

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Soft warm lips were pressed against his, coaxing him out of his slumber. Draco teetered on the border between the world of illusions and reality, finally falling into the physical world where that delicious mouth was. He sighed against those lips.

"What time is it?" he asked, his voice heavy with sleep. He cracked an eye open to read Harry's response.

'10:38.'

Dread and anxiety oppressed him at the prospect of what the day was going to bring. His body tensed under Harry's. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut. What if he couldn't hide his thoughts and feelings from the Dark Lord? That was a simple answer. He wouldn't live to see the next day.

Harry stopped kissing him and was unmoving. Draco opened his eyes.

'What's wrong?'

Draco pushed Harry off of him and got up. "What's wrong?" Draco said incredulously, getting dressed. "Well, where shall I begin? Oh but wait, I don't have any problems because I'm a Malfoy and I'm rich and I don't have a care in the world."

Harry's shock at Draco's uncharacteristic outburst turned to anger. 'I didn't mean it like that and you know it! What's your problem today?'

The Malfoy heir yanked on his robes. "You," he spat.

'Me?'

"Yes, you. I wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you."

The Gryffindor proceeded to dress himself with haste. 'So it's _my_ fault that you're in this mess called life. I'm tired of your mood swings. You're like a bloody girl!' Harry stomped past Draco, opened the door, exited, and slammed it with a loud _Bang!_ that resounded throughout the room.

Draco fell on the bed. He had gotten mad at Harry for no reason. This anxiety over the Initiation Ceremony was going to drive him mad. Perhaps he could try to hide his feelings and the memories with Harry from the past three days.

He buried his face in the rumpled sheets. He could still smell Harry's scent. He groaned. Trying to forget Harry just for today would not work if he was around things that reminded him of the black haired boy.

Draco got up and went out the door, shutting it behind him. The Room of Requirement disappeared as the door closed.

----------

His left arm was hurting so much. It felt like a hundred knives was simultaneously cutting into his flesh. It burned him. He wanted to cut it off just so the torture would end.

"Mother," he managed to say between clenched teeth, "help me."

Narcissa looked down at her son's writhing form worriedly, her lips in a thin line. Draco Malfoy, the sole Malfoy heir, her only son, a full-fledged Death Eater, a Slytherin with too much pride and would never ask anyone for help was asking just that of his mother.

"Mum."

He hadn't called her that since he was eight.

"It hurts so much. Help me." Once gloriously brilliant silver eyes, now dull with pain and pent-up emotions, opened to look pleadingly at the person who gave the owner of said eyes life.

Narcissa turned away from him, knowing that there was no possible way she could lessen his pain. She had known that this day was bound to come, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon. From what little information Lucius bothered to tell her, she knew that the Dark Lord was planning something big.

_When isn't that crazed lunatic planning something?_ she thought bitterly. _I just wish he'd leave my family out of it. _She took one last look at her son and closed the door to his room. Lucius was in the study as she knew he would be. He was lounging in his favourite armchair, sipping a glass of vodka. Cold grey eyes met hers before returning to stare at the fire. Narcissa took a seat in the matching armchair next to her husband.

"How long will it last?" Narcissa broke the silence that usually reigned between Lucius and her.

"He'll be able to tolerate the pain within twelve hours," Lucius' voice was devoid of any emotion.

"Twelve hours!" Narcissa was stunned.

Lucius gave her a cool look. "Yes, twelve hours. If he's a true Malfoy he'll be able to put up with it. This is how our Lord separates the weak and the strong."

"But he's only a boy!"

"He's a Malfoy."

Lucius' indifference to their son infuriated her. It wasn't the first time, far from it. He had showed a bit more concern for Draco before the Dark Lord's second rise. Now that the Dark Lord was back nothing mattered to Lucius except pleasing him.

Narcissa tugged at her hair, a bad habit she only fell on when she was angry. "How can you sit there and let him suffer?"

"You and I both know there's nothing we can do."

She stood up and glared down at him. "You shouldn't've had him go through this until he was older!"

"Sit down," his voice was soft, yet dangerous.

She knew what that voice meant, but she was too worried over Draco to care about her own pain that was sure to come later. "He's too young!"

"I was young too," he said. "Now sit down."

"You didn't receive your Dark Mark until you were nineteen. He's barely turned seventeen!"

His eyes flashed. "Sit. Down."

Narcissa shook her head furiously. She felt her hair coming loose from the pins. It cascaded down her shoulders, the golden locks reflecting the soft orange and red glow from the fire. Her cheeks were flushed a delicate shade of pink. She didn't know that Lucius usually argued with her just to see her like this.

"I won't sit. Stop worrying about me and more about Draco."

Lucius stood up, towering over his wife. "You will not tell me what to do, Narcissa. I know what is good for Dra-- "

"I doubt that," she hissed at him. "What father lets their child go through that pain?"

"You knew when we were married that whatever children we had would serve the Dark Lord. You're only alive because I begged our Lord to spare you when you refused to receive the Mark."

Narcissa lifted her chin. "I'm glad I did. If the Dark Mark was going to make me like you I would have gladly killed myself. And in case you don't remember, I had no choice but to marry you."

"You would have married me even if it hadn't been arranged."

"I never would! I hate you!" she said.

Lucius grabbed her wrists and pulled her against him. She struggled to break free, dreading what would come. His grip didn't even loosen in the slightest.

"Let me go, Lucius," she said.

He lowered his head and brushed his lips across her forehead. She could already feel her traitorous body burning for him. She tried to pull away once more in vain before collapsing against him.

"No," she whispered. Tears gathered in her eyes. She was shamed, humiliated, and angry that Lucius could arouse her with just a simple touch. And damn the man for knowing it.

Lucius let go of her wrists. He lifted her chin so he could look into blue eyes that glistened with unshed tears. Narcissa could detect no other emotions in the grey depths except triumph. She looked down at the ground.

He touched his lips to hers, his other hand coming to wrap around her waist to pull her against him. Her arms wrapped around his neck of their own volition as Lucius deepened the kiss. She could feel his erection pressing into her stomach. That only made her blood run faster.

"Lucius," she murmured against his lips, pulling him closer.

He pulled back. Narcissa was ashamed to find herself groaning in protest. A sardonic smile crossed his face.

"You say you hate me, but you still want me. Do you know what you say during your climax?"

Narcissa shook her head weakly, not wanting to hear the answer.

"It begins with an 'I' and ends with a 'u'," he whispered in her ear.

Narcissa swallowed. She loathed the man now more than ever. She did love him, but it was a twisted love. She wished he were back in Azkaban right now.

He smirked. "See, Cissa? You don't hate me."

"Don't call me that," she moaned as he moved to dominate her.

----------

He couldn't escape from the pain. It seemed to weave in and out of every cell of his body until he felt like he was made of the red hot, burning sensation. He could even feel it in his sleep. The pain had lessened slightly since the Ceremony, but it still hurt enough that it made him scream.

Draco was exhausted, both mentally and physically. He did all he could to protect and hide the feelings that he had for Harry and the memories of him and Harry. Thankfully the Dark Lord hadn't probed his mind.

He had never known there were that many Death Eaters. Over two-hundred. Every one had come to witness Draco's Initiation. Right after You-Know-Who had given him the Dark Mark, Draco passed out from the excruciating pain. He woke up in his bed later to see his mother. The pain then came back so that he couldn't talk to her. Not that they talked on a regular basis person to person. They tended to speak through letters. But she had looked so worried and helpless. He knew that she loved him. He was her own flesh and blood after all. Draco knew in his heart that deep down she felt that _one_ of them had to love their son since Lucius didn't seem to.

He screamed as something sharp seemed to pierce his organs. It burned his insides, and never before could he feel so many of his nerves. He laid there panting, dimly aware that the bedsheets were soaked with his sweat.

The agonizing pain was replaced by a lesser pain. He wanted this to be over. The physical pain, but mostly the darkness that was poisoning his mind and soul.

Voldemort's.

_I belong to no one._

Voldemort's.

_I'm a Malfoy._

He branded you.

_I belong to myself._

He can make you do horrible things.

_"I also have no doubt in my mind that Voldemort will make you do some horrible things. Are you positive, Draco?"_

He wished he hadn't said yes to Dumbledore. What was so wrong about hiding, anyway? There was no pain involved. And no lunatic tried to leave a mark on your soul.

Draco screamed his already hoarse voice even more hoarse as another attack of unimaginable pain hit him. Blissful blackness claimed him and he willingly accepted her.

Something cool was lessening his heated skin. Draco opened his heavily lidded eyes to see his mother bathing his torso with a cloth. Even though the woman felt an obligation to love him, he had to admit that she took good care of him.

"Mother," his whispered.

If the room hadn't been so quiet Narcissa wouldn't have been able to hear him. She looked into his eyes. _Lucius' eyes._ "Yes, Draco?"

Her son silently examined her. Her hair was loose and flowing freely around her shoulders. She never took her hair out of her bun, and if she did, she would never leave it like that. Her lips seemed more red and fuller. Draco glanced at his mother's white neck and saw a red mark near her jaw. He suddenly felt very sick. His mother and father had been fucking each other while their son was in pain.

_What the fuck is wrong with them?_ he wondered for the first time. How could they possibly do that when they knew that he was screaming, wanting to escape his body and the pain? He turned his head very slowly, so as not to bring more pain, and looked at the wall so he wouldn't have to look at her.

"Can you take me back to Hogwarts?" It was a command hidden inside a polite question.

His mother was clearly taken off guard. "What? Why?"

_Because I can't stay in the same house with you or Lucius another minute._

"Just take me there," he said quietly.

"Draco, if you go back to Hogwarts in this state you'll be in big trouble. Dumbledore will know and your father will be sent back to Azkaban and you could be sent there too," Narcissa said, a pleading note could be perceived in the otherwise apathetic voice.

"Blaise and Snape will take care of me. I'll be careful," Draco replied, still staring at the wall.

Narcissa looked doubtful. "Alright. Travelling by floo will be quite painful in your condition." She put the cloth on his night table. "I'll help you to the fireplace and send your things after you."

Every part of him screamed in protest as Narcissa helped him to a sitting position. He sucked in his breath through his teeth, unwilling to cry out. He carefully eased his feet to the floor, relishing the cool feel of the stone floor. He draped an arm around his mother's shoulder. She grabbed onto his waist.

"Ready?"

Draco nodded.

With a soft grunt, Narcissa pulled him up.

Draco didn't think his legs would be able to support him. He leaned on his mother, glad that her slight build belied her strength. The world spun dangerously. He closed his eyes until things felt steady. With his mother's help and his determination, they finally reached the fireplace. Narcissa reached up, took some floor powder, and threw it into the fire.

Draco stepped away from her and into the fire. "Hogwarts, Snape's Chambers," he croaked. It _was _painful. He bit his lower lip to keep back the scream and squeezed his eyes shut. He felt solid ground and fell in a heap. He laid there, breathing hard. A few minutes later he heard two thuds that announced the arrival of his luggage that his mother had said she'd send.

"Mr. Malfoy?'

Draco forced himself to look into black eyes. "Professor Snape. C-Could you give me some pain potion?"

Snape nodded curtly. He magically lifted Draco and laid him on a couch. Draco heard him leave, then come back a few moments later. He drank the red, viscous potion that was handed to him.

"Thank you sir," he said. "I'll go back to my dorm as soon as the potion takes effect."

"Don't be ridiculous," Snape said. "You shall stay here until you are better. We cannot have others see you like this." Snape conjured a blanket and pillow for Draco and left to go see Dumbledore.

The pain began to recede. Once he felt the effects, Draco slowly stood up. He opened the door and stepped out into the dark dungeon corridor. He had been in Snape's private quarters. He made his way to the stairs that led to the main floor. His body still throbbed with pain, but just not as bad. He hoped he could make it to the Gryffindor tower. A part of him was willing to put up with the pain of climbing stairs just so he could see Harry. The other part of his mind was cursing at him for wanting to see Harry of all people, especially when he was in this state.

Unfortunately for Draco, the sheer physical strength he was demanding from his tired body was too much. He blacked out at the foot of the stairs leading to the third floor.

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There's the 6th chapter. super-sailor-saturn39


	7. Draco, Gone Mad?

**Comments: **Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed me! **_tamachan444: _**Yes, I suppose he should. But he_ is _a Malfoy, and they really don't lean on people all that much, do they? **_sak: _**I think getting the Dark Mark would be an endurance test. As Lucius said, Voldemort's separating the weak from the strong. **_gingersnaps97: _**I really don't have every detail of this fic planned out in my head. It just comes to me when I'm writing the chapters. **_Everyone: _**I cannot ever thank you enough for your reviews! They are very helpful, and I encourage you to give me your views on things and what I could do better on. Also, I have been waiting for someone to say something about what happened in Chapter 3. Becca Hurton, who reviewed me on , was the first and only person to point it out. What did she point out, you ask? Well, she asked who Harry thought Draco was when Harry attacked him with a knife. I suppose some of you have already guessed and your guesses may be correct. You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?  
**Rating: **R  
**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**IMPORTANT: **If you wish to have the NC-17 version of this chapter, please email me. Are these becoming too frequent?

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 7: Draco, Gone Mad?**

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"I would've expected better of you, Mr. Malfoy," Snape looked at him with a displeased expression. "I told you to stay in my quarters until you got better. What could have possibly possessed you to try to walk around the castle?"

Blaise grinned at Draco over Snape's greasy head. "Potter," he mouthed, wiggling his eyebrows.

Draco would've hexed him if he had his wand and his arms didn't feel like lead. He must really be going mad. What _was _he doing trying to find Harry when he could barely walk?

He sighed instead of answering. He was currently resting in Snape's bed. The Head of Slytherin had found him and carried him back to his quarters. Dumbledore had visited and excused him from classes for the rest of the week. From what the blond could tell it was very early in the morning. The students would start getting up in a couple of hours.

Snape left to get more potion for Draco's pain. The potions were helping Draco immensely. Blaise leaned over him, a look of mock concern on his face.

"Are you all right, Draco?" his eyes were wide with worry.

"Zabini," he warned. "I'll kill--"

Blaise pressed a finger to Draco's lips. "Shush love," he cooed. "Don't talk. And don't think such violent thoughts. The negative energy could disrupt your delicate sense of mind."

"Zabini," Draco said again. "You better run for your life when I get out of this bed, because I will not rest until you're--"

The rest of Draco's threat was cut off as Blaise shoved a particularly large chunk of chocolate into the angry Slytherin's mouth. "What did I tell you about bad thoughts?"

Draco glowered at Blaise as he struggled to chew the chocolate. He knew Blaise was acting in his silly manner to reassure Draco that his wounds would heal. The physical ones at least. It wasn't a Slytherin's style to express their emotions to another human being. He was grateful to his friend for not showing unneeded concern.

A knock sounded on the door. Blaise left to answer it and returned a few moments later with Harry.

"I'll leave," Blaise said in a quiet voice when the two boys stared at each other. He left Snape's room, closing the door behind him.

Harry's emerald eyes travelled over Draco's face, lingering on his swollen bottom lip that he had been worrying. He finally met Draco's eyes, an unrecognisable sparkle in the jade irises. He walked up to the bed, never breaking eye contact. He reached for Draco's face. The blond, expecting a caress, was not prepared for the sharp slap.

"Hey!" he yelled in surprise.

Harry's eyes brightened with anger. 'What the hell do you think you were doing?'

Draco met his eyes defiantly, uncomfortable with the fact that he had to look up at Harry from his reclining position on the bed. "I do not have to explain myself to you, Potter."

'The hell you don't! Do you hate me so much that you had to go become a Death Eater?'

"Hate you? Don't flatter yourself, Potter. I would not become a Death Eater just because of you," Draco snapped. _How could that idiot possibly think that I hate him?_

'Then why did you do it?'

Draco closed his eyes tiredly. He felt Harry sit down on the bed. He began to tell him about everything. His plans for spying, his Initiation Ceremony, and his Dark mark. He opened his eyes to see a relieved expression cross the raven-haired boy's face, then, to his utter shock, Harry's face became angry again.

'You could've gotten yourself killed! This is dangerous!'

"Well, I didn't. My life _is _dangerous, Potter. Being the son of a Death Eater is hardly safe," Draco drawled.

'But now you're dealing with Voldemort directly. He could kill you any time if the fancy takes him.'

"I'm touched by your concern, but I can take care of myself," Draco said. "Besides, he can't kill me. I'm too bloody gorgeous."

Harry bit his lips, his eyes brilliant with held back tears. 'Don't joke, Draco.'

Draco hoped Harry wouldn't cry. He hated it when people cried. "Forget about it. I'm a new Death Eater so I won't be needed much."

'I can't forget.'

Draco rested a hand on the nape of Harry's neck and pulled him close so that their lips were almost touching. "Then help _me_ forget," he whispered.

Harry inhaled and crushed Draco's lips to his. Draco let himself enjoy the sensation of Harry's lips, glad that it resembled nothing of pain. Harry's tongue slipped between Draco's lips, exploring every part of his lover's mouth. Draco moaned into Harry's mouth, welcoming his invasion. He moved his hands to unbutton Harry's robes. Harry tore his mouth away and stopped him.

'Don't. We shouldn't do it. You're in pain.'

"Potter," he growled. "I'll do whatever the hell I want."

'You're hurt.'

Barely concealed desperation showed in the silver depths. "I want you inside me, Harry."

Harry was clearly contemplating. Draco took the green-eyed boy's fingers and brought them to his lips, kissing them then sucking. Harry watched, completely mesmerized, his breaths coming short and fast.

"I need you," Draco said. Draco released Harry's hand and again moved to unbutton the other boy's robes. Harry hesitantly did the same to Draco, taking extra care.

The first thing Harry looked at once they both were completely naked was the Dark Mark, its black image marring Draco's perfect skin. He touched it lightly. Draco hissed in pain. The skin there was still very sensitive.

"Fuck," he swore when Harry firmly grasped his left forearm, his palm pressing into the Mark. His arm numbed in pain. Draco squeezed his eyes tightly shut. He felt Harry's mouth on his, not moving, but just resting there. He forced his eyes open. Harry sat back up. He had been trying to get Draco to open his eyes.

'You're mine, Draco, not his.' Harry attacked his neck, trailing his tongue down that creamy neck, savouring Draco's taste.

**----------**

There were no windows in Snape's room, but Draco could tell it was close to noon when he woke up. He turned to his other side so he could see Harry. The Gryffindor was still sleeping, his glasses askew. Draco gently took them off and set them on the pillow. He never noticed how long Harry's lashes were or the way it fanned his cheeks. Draco touched them, running his fingers along the black lashes. He ran a finger down his cheek to trace his jawline. Strong and stubborn. He reached under the covers and took the other boy's hand, bringing it close to his face. He put his hand against Harry's and examined the sharp contrast between the two colours of skin.

_Light and shadow,_ he thought. _I'm light and he's shadow, or should it be the other way around? _An ironic smile twisted his lips. He interlaced their fingers. He glanced up and found Harry staring back at him.

"What? No kiss?" Draco pouted.

Harry smiled. He moved his head to give Draco a kiss that tasted of sleep, then snuggled next to the blond.

'Draco?'

"Hmm?"

'Are you OK?'

Draco sighed exasperatedly. _Wonderful, more Harry Potter concern_. "I'm fine." Draco knew Harry didn't believe him, but couldn't see his face since it was pressed against his chest. He was relieved when the Gryffindor didn't pursue the matter.

"Harry?" he asked after they had been laying in silence for a while.

'Yes?'

"Promise me something?"

'What?'

"When you talk again I want to be the first to hear."

Harry tilted his head back and looked at him. His expression was a thoughtful one. _Probably wondering why I asked him to promise something like that, _Draco thought. _I'm wondering the same thing_. He didn't dwell too much on the thought since it made his head ache.

'Promise.'

Draco ran his finger along Harry's lips. "I'll hold you to that promise, Potter. Break it and I'll break you neck."

Harry fluttered his lashes. 'You're such a romantic, Draco. Now I know how much you care for me.'

"Not much, eh?"

'Draco.' Harry pouted, looking at him with wide eyes.

He looked back innocently at him. "Yes?"

'Promise me something.' His expression became serious.

"Depends."

'Promise me you won't get yourself killed.'

Draco scoffed. "Like I said, I'm too bloody gorgeous to kill."

Harry wrapped his arm around the Slytherin and buried his face in his chest. 'Promise!'

Draco ran his hand through the jet black hair. "You know I can't promise you that."

Harry sighed. 'I know. Just be careful.'

They laid in silence, the crackle of the fire the only noise. The intense pain he had experienced had ebbed to an ache.

"Draco and Harry." It just sounded so-- Draco didn't have any other word for it, as clichéd as that might sound-- right.

'Harry and Draco sound better.'

"Hare and Drake," he tested it out.

Harry pulled his head back and wrinkled his nose at him. 'Hare? Don't EVER call me that.'

"How about Ree and Co?"

They both were horrified.

"Harry and Co," Draco suddenly burst out laughing.

The Gryffindor looked at his lover with wide eyes, completely puzzled at what he found so funny.

"Come on Potter," Draco said between laughs. "Harry and Co," he began laughing harder.

Harry gave Draco an uncertain smile.

"You're so _dense,_" Draco gasped out. "Harry and C-Co," he burst into a new fit of laughter. Harry waited for Draco to get done laughing so he could explain. Draco took longer to calm down than Harry expected. "Don't you get it? Harry and Co? Harry and _company_?"

Harry gave him an amazed look. 'THAT'S why you were laughing?'

"Yes."

'It doesn't even make sense. It can't be company because there's just you.'

"Yeah," Draco agreed, "but you are missing the little guy down there," he pointed at himself under the sheets.

'Oh!' Comprehension showed in Harry's eyes. 'Harry and CO!'

Draco broke into more laughter at the look on Harry's face that clearly said, "I can't believe I'm sleeping with a mental case."

"Stop it!" he panted. "Don't make me laugh! My body hurts already without you making me laugh. Ow... My ribs!"

Harry gathered a sheet around his wait and slowly got off the bed, eyeing the hysterical Slytherin warily. He backed into a corner, the bedsheet firmly wrapped around his waist in a modest manner.

A knock sounded at the door. Draco stopped laughing long enough to choke out, "Come in." Blaise stepped into the room, glancing at the deranged blond and the totally puzzled brunette in the corner.

"Er... Draco?" Blaise said tentatively.

"W-what?" Draco replied, calming down a bit.

"Are you OK?"

"Of course I'm OK," he tried to sound scornful, but his laughing face made it lose its effect. He took a deep breath and finally was calm, his face back to being blank except for his eyes which were still laughing.

"Could you put something on?" Blaise asked.

Draco glanced down at his exposed body and back to Blaise. "Why? It's nothing you haven't seen."

Blaise saw the jealousy that flashed in Harry's eyes. Draco followed Blaise's gaze and fastened on Harry. _He thinks that Blaise was once my lover, _Draco thought, noting the jealousy in his eyes.

Draco gave him a smirk and raised his eyebrows. "Something wrong, Potter?"

He shook his head.

Draco turned back to Blaise. "What is it?"

He put a goblet containing a horribly pink potion on the table. "Snape wants you to drink it. He was going to bring it in himself, but-- er-- he must've heard noises. He sent me in here instead, saying that he didn't want to have to gouge his eyes out at what he would see."

Draco picked up the goblet and made a face of distaste at the potion. "Does it have to be so pink?"

"Er--"

"Must be a pain-relieving potion." He sniffed it. "Yes, I smell wormwood. Snape's own special potion," he downed it in two gulps. "And he didn't even bother to hide the nasty flavour."

Blaise took the goblet from him. "You don't have to make so much fuss about the bloody potion." He walked to the door, then turned back to Draco and Harry. "Oh yeah. Snape said no more shagging in his bed or he'll beat Voldemort to torturing the both of you. It's better that I spare you the details of how he described your deaths," Blaise gave a visible shudder and left.

Draco got off the bed and walked to Harry who was still standing in the corner. He hooked a finger in the blanket gathered at the Gryffindor's waist and pulled. Harry stumbled against him. He nuzzled his neck, deeply breathing in his smell of strawberries and a faint scent of sweat.

'You're pretty horny for an injured man.'

Draco smirked against his neck. "You shouldn't have given into me in the first place. Your cock up my arse probably injured me more." He pulled away and pointed at himself. "I mean he's as stiff as a board and hasn't gone down since you pounded me."

Harry's face reddened. 'You wanted it.'

"Yes I did," he consented. "There's nothing like hot sex after what feels like a life death experience."

'I'll keep that in mind if I survive Voldemort.'

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This chapter was one of my favorites and was also one of the ones I hated, if that makes any sense. I'm rather contradicting myself. I wish I had my own personal slave to type my chapters for me... Anyway, school starts on Tuesday (August 17th), so I'm not sure if updates will continue to be once a week or it will be once every two weeks... Hmm... We'll just have to wait and see. super-sailor-saturn39


	8. Not Tonight, Harry

**Comments:** Sorry this took so long to get out! I have homework like you wouldn't believe! I'm surprised I even have time to breathe... Chapter 9 will take a bit long to get out. I haven't even started writing it! I'll be surprised if it's posted by next month. Thank you for putting up with me! Keep reviewing! It really helps. And I don't think I'll be able to respond to anyone if they ask a question in their reviews. Just email me the question and I'll answer them, otherwise I won't. On with the story!  
**Rating:** R  
**Summary**: Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 8: Not Tonight, Harry**

---------------------------------------------------------

Draco sighed as another ceramic vase exploded, sending the shards flying in every direction. Snape growled and looked murderous when one hit him squarely on the forehead. The shard turned to a pile of ashes before it even began falling down. Snape tucked his wand back in his robes, not knowing that he looked odd with a red welt on his forehead, the angry colour standing out against his pallid complexion.

"Mr. Potter, do tell how you have managed to survive all these years. I have asked myself many times if it's pure luck or pure stupidity, knowing as you don't possess an ounce of intelligence."

Harry seethed, his eyes becoming like pieces of glass, hard and sharp.

"You have enough control over your powers that you can turn a vase into a cat. I have seen you do more difficult things. CONCENTRATE, BOY!" Snape bellowed.

Harry jumped. His face immediately turned red in embarrassment when he realized what he had done.

Snape repaired the vase with a wave of his wand and set it back on the table. "Now try again, you useless boy."

Draco leaned back in his chair as the vase exploded. It had been like this for nearly an hour. Every vase exploded. He didn't think Snape's insults toward Harry were helping much with his concentration. Of course, Draco didn't tell the Potions Master this.

"You idiot boy!" Snape hissed. "Can you do nothing right? Get your head out of your arse and concentrate! _Reparo._"

The vase instantly fixed itself and flew up to the table. Draco picked up the _Daily Prophet _off the floor, feeling completely bored. He scanned the front page, which featured a picture of an old wizard blinking behind a pair of large, round glasses.

_**Second Attack in Two weeks!** November 1, 1997_

_Hicibus Hicker was supposed to be home around 10 PM on Halloween. When he still hadn't  
shown up at 11:30, his wife became worried at his absence. She contacted the Ministry and  
was informed that her husband, who works as an Unspeakable, had left the Ministry at 9:35   
PM. Alarmed, Mrs. Hicker told of his disappearance._

_Research and investigation immediately ensued. As was the case with John Illock, the Magic  
Researcher who disappeared last week, the Ministry found nothing. Rumours have circulated  
that You-Know-Who is behind it... _

Draco was drawn away from the paper by another explosion. Harry, glaring defiantly at Snape with utmost hatred, threw himself onto the couch near the fire.

'No more!'

"I will say when we shall stop!" Snape snapped. "Get over here immediately, Potter."

Harry very grudgingly obeyed. Twenty minutes later Snape called for a break. Draco watched with an eyebrow arched when the Head of Slytherin grabbed a bottle of brandy out of his cupboard and went to his room, shutting the wooden door behind him.

'That fucking bastard.' Harry looked as if he was itching to set fire to the door leading to Snape's room.

"If you would just turn the sodding vase into a cat we could be done with it, and I could start practicing on _my _Gift," Draco said. "I'd thought you could transfigure something in the blink of an eye, seeing as you can go into my mind without difficulty."

Harry gave him an impatient look. 'Of course I can transfigure a bloody vase.' To prove his point he turned back to the vase and a yellow cat suddenly stood in its place. It blinked its large sea-green eyes at them before jumping off the table. Harry plomped himself down on the armchair across from Draco. 'See? I just can't do it while that greasy git is in the same room.'

"Well, then pretend that he isn't here."

'It's hard to pretend he isn't here when he's yelling in your ear. That git ought to have his voice box obliterated.'

"And McGonagall ought to have her claws clipped, that crazy bitch."

'She's better than Snape!'

"You just don't like Snape because he refuses to treat you like a celebrity."

Harry looked bitter. 'No, he doesn't. He prefers to treat me like scum.'

"McGonagall treats _me_ like scum, too."

'She does not! She's fair to everyone.'

Draco looked at him. "Is she? She's only fair to you lot, but not the Slytherins. That's favouritism."

Harry looked incredulous. 'You think that's favouritism? That's not favouritism, that's treating every House fairly. Snape plays favouritism. He hates every House except Slytherin.'

Draco shook his head. "No, he doesn't."

'Yes, he does!'

He frowned at the Gryffindor. "Don't take things and judge it from an onlooker's perspective. Try putting yourself in our place. Once you do that, then you can judge for yourself."

'I'm sorry that I don't want to try to imagine what it would be like to be a Dark Wizard.'

Draco's eyes flashed. _Stupid Gryffindor. _"You know nothing, Potter. I would expect such an answer like that from all those who don't know us."

'I do know you.' Harry was starting to get angry, too.

"You know nothing, Potter," Draco hissed. "Snape sticks up for Slytherins because _nobody else does._ Everywhere we go in this school the other three pathetic Houses look down on us because we're _Slytherins. _He fights for us, because he knows what it feels like to have the school hate you. And just because we're ambitious and want to learn about magic that the rest of the world doesn't want to learn about don't make us Dark Wizards. We're Slytherins, true, and there might be some of us who are going to use magic to do bad things. But you cannot judge the _whole _House on just a few people."

Harry looked pissed off at being given a lecture by his own classmate, his former enemy no less. 'You guys have turned out more Dark Wizards than any other House.'

"Just because we refuse to follow the Ministry," he spat out 'Ministry' contemptuously, "does not make us bad. Those oafs they appoint as Ministers do not know shit. All they're interested in is keeping their power and position."

'And you think Voldemort isn't interested in keeping his powers?' His mouth was pressed tightly together.

"At least he has a _purpose._"

'Oh, and I suppose you think that killing muggleborns and muggles is a good purpose.'

"No and yes. It's accomplishing _something_, isn't it? The Ministers could care less about the Wizarding World. As long as they have their luxurious lifestyles and are still Ministers, _they don't care what happens._"

'That's not true! The Minister of Magic always owls Dumbledore asking for advice on things.'

Draco waved a hand dismissively. "On unimportant matters. Besides, wouldn't you think wizards and witches would disapprove of the Minister if he didn't ask the advice of the only wizard Voldemort's ever feared?"

Harry reluctantly nodded.

"Remember how Fudge wouldn't believe you when you told him that Voldemort was back? Even when Dumbledore, the man he relied on for advice, told Fudge himself that it was true?"

A nod.

Draco could already tell that he had won this argument. "Why do you think Fudge wouldn't believe either of you?"

Harry saw the triumphant smirk hiding behind Draco's mask of indifference. He glowered. 'He was afraid the wizards and witches would call him a liar and demand a new Minister.'

The Slytherin smirked that triumphant smirk that he had been holding back. "_Exactly. _As I said, at least Voldemort has a purpose."

'So you're agreeing with Voldemort?" Green eyes flashed.

Draco shrugged and gave him a smile and a reply that he knew would infuriate the Gryffindor. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."

Harry looked outraged. 'I'll kill you, Malfoy, if I find out you're spying for Voldemort.'

Draco shook his head. "What happened to that Gryffindor loyalty? Don't you trust me, Potter?"

'We may shag well together, but it does not mean the same applies for trust.'

"I suppose not," Draco's voice showed his amusement.

Harry narrowed his eyes and looked away from the blond. Snape walked into the silent room ten minutes later. He smiled in satisfaction at the tension in the air. _Slytherins and Gryffindors aren't meant to mix together,_ he thought.

"It's your turn, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco stood up. "Yes, sir."

"I'm going to lock this cabinet with a spell, and I want you to unlock it with your mind." Snape waved his wand at the dark wooden cabinet near his door.

Draco stepped closer to it. He concentrated on the wood, waiting for that wall to come again. The only thing that came to his mind was the thought: "Work you bloody Gift!" After trying to concentrate on the cabinet for a few minutes, Draco turned back to Snape.

"Nothing."

"Think of the most emotional," Snape sneered at the word, "experience you've been through. While you're thinking of that, try thinking of unlocking the door, too."

Draco nodded and faced the cabinet again. He took a deep breath and let it out in a slow exhale. He closed his eyes and tried to recall a memory that would make him angry.

_Millicent trying to make a move on me. _That only made him feel sick.

_Pansy calling me Drakie. _There, he could feel a tiny spark of anger.

_Blaise laughing at my hair when I cut it last year. _Oh yes, the spark was growing. _Nobody _laughed at a Malfoy.

_Weasley asking me a couple of years ago how my father liked Azkaban. _

_Voldemort's comment that I'm growing up to be like my father. _

_My mother's courage that wanes each year so that she's slowly giving herself to Voldemort's and Lucius' influence._

Draco could feel the hot, burning anger spreading to his very fingertips and toes. He saw a brief flash of the wall before it disappeared again.

"Unlock the door when you're at the height of your emotion," Snape instructed.

Draco tried, but the wall didn't even appear this time. By the end of the lesson Draco could make the wall appear for a few seconds, but not long enough to push through it. He found that it appeared when he felt the most desperate. He was exhausted and nearly collapsed on the couch in a dead faint. To his very surprise, and to Harry's, judging by the wide eyes and gaping mouth, Snape gave him a piece of chocolate.

"It'll be a while before you can break the spell. I expect to see you both on Monday. Now go to dinner and get out of my sight."

Harry practically ran from the room, not even glancing back. Draco exited at a more leisurely pace. Harry was waiting a few feet from the door.

'Can we go somewhere and eat?'

Draco raised an eyebrow. "And where, Potter, would we eat?"

Harry shrugged. 'I'm sure we can find somewhere.'

"It would be highly suspicious if we left the Hall with a load of food."

A devilish grin crossed Harry's features. 'Not if we get food from somewhere else.'

Before Draco could question him, Harry grabbed his hand and pulled him. Draco followed him down endless corridors until they reached a large picture of some fruit.

"Potter, this food is not _real_. You cannot eat it, and I definitely will not eat anything that _you _conjure up," Draco drawled.

Harry ignored him and reached up to the pear. He started to move his index finger up and down.

"Are you _tickling _a bloody pear?!" Draco asked incredulously.

The Gryffindor ignored him once again. He turned the knob that suddenly appeared. Draco's eyes widened. Harry opened the portrait and revealed a very large and busy kitchen filled full with house elves. Immediately four house elves surrounded them, asking in their high, squeaky voice what the masters wanted.

"I'm being attacked by house elves," Draco muttered as they pushed Harry and him to a table. He took the seat that was offered to him and sat down.

"What can Leilou do for you, sirs?" a brown-eyed elf said.

'Could you get us some of the food that's being served tonight and put it in a basket or something?' Harry gave Leilou a kind smile.

Leilou nodded enthusiastically. "Coming right up, masters!" She left.

"Picnic?" Draco inquired.

Harry shook his head. 'No. We're going to your room to eat.'

"My room?"

'Yes. I've never seen it. Can we? Everyone will be gone.'

"No."

'Why not?'

"It's Slytherin territory. They'll kill you if they see you."

'But your Quidditch team saw us on the Quidditch pitch a couple of days ago, and they didn't kill me.'

"Not yet. If I'm correct, which I assure you I usually am, the whole lot of them have owled their parents to tell them, who in turn will tell Voldemort," Draco said.

Several house elves that were passing by gave Draco a horrified look at the mention of the Dark Lord.

Their basket was delivered by a house elf that looked awfully familiar. The house elf gave Draco a wide-eyed look and handed the basket to Harry.

"Here, Harry Potter, sir," it said, still looking at Draco.

Harry waited for the elf to turn before replying. 'Thanks, Dobby.'

"Dobby?!" Draco exclaimed, standing up. "You used to serve at Malfoy Manor."

Dobby gave a squeak and cowered behind Harry's chair.

"Father said that some rich wizard bought you."

"Master Malfoy set me free, sir," Dobby said, still hiding behind Harry.

"My father set you free? He would never do such a thing."

'I tricked him.' Harry was watching him.

"Isn't it typical for Saint Potter to save humans and animals alike," Draco drawled. "Especially a house elf belonging to the Malfoys. Never mind the boy had to clean his own room and iron his own clothes."

'It was about time you learned to rely on yourself instead of a house elf.'

"House elves are meant to work. They live for it. It's all they're good for. If I persuaded the Headmaster to give them clothes, they'd come begging him to let them back."

'Well, why don't you?' Harry's eyebrows were raised slightly in a challenge.

"Masters!" Dobby squeaked. Five pairs of hands pushed both students off the chairs and toward the door. "Please enjoy your dinner. And don't mention giving clothes in front of the other house elves!" Dobby warned, dancing around the group of house elves who were anxious to get the two quarrelsome boys out of their kitchen. "Bye sirs!" Dobby called as the portrait slammed shut.

"I can't believe that a bunch of house elves just shut a door in _my_ face!" Draco spluttered. "Me! A Malfoy!"

Harry shook his head in exasperation. He grabbed the blond's shoulder to get his attention and waved his free hand, indicating that Draco should lead the way. Draco complained all the way about the house elves' disrespect to wizards and witches. He paused in his tirade to give the password. He led the way into his room, not noticing Harry locking the door.

"-- and then Granger starts up that ludicrous spew thing. I can't believe you actually supported her in it, Potter," Draco said, throwing himself on his bed.

'She's my friend.' Harry set down the basket on the night table.

Draco snorted. "If Crabbe or Goyle ever did that, if they had the brains to do it I should say, I would tell them how stupid they are and kick them out of the dorm room."

Harry began unpacking the food. He laid out the pork chops, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin juice, rolls, and two slices of pecan pie on the bed. When Draco realized that Harry wasn't listening to him, he rolled onto his side to tell him off. He gave a yelp when he rolled into some of the mashed potatoes. He leapt off the bed, tripped over the rug, and fell gracelessly on his arse with another yelp.

Harry peered at him from the other side of the bed as Draco carefully got up and rubbed his rear. The Gryffindor's face was contorted with held-back laughter.

Draco glared at him. "Potter..." he said.

That was obviously the last straw for Harry, because he burst into laughter. Draco stood there stunned. It was the first sound he had heard Harry make that wasn't a moan or a groan. His laughter was... delightful. His laugh echoed slightly in the room so Draco felt like it surrounded him. He smiled and listened to Harry laugh until he was out of breath and just grinned.

"You laughed," Draco said. His tone suggested that he refused to believe it.

'Yeah, so? I've never seen you do any of that before in my life.'

"And I assure you you'll never see it again," Draco said, taking off his robe.

They ate on the bed, Draco afraid that someone might burst in on them. Harry, tired of his nagging, finally unlocked the door so the Slytherin seventh years wouldn't get suspicious, charmed the bed curtains on Draco's bed closed, and put a silencing charm on them. A candle that was residing on the night table was lit. Everything was put back in the basket once they were done.

Draco was exhausted. Snape's lessons had tired him out and now that he was full he felt sleepy. He laid down, his eyes already closing. He felt Harry take off his shoes and heard two dull thuds as they fell to the floor. Harry laid down next to him. Warm, familiar lips captured his.

"Can we not do it tonight, Harry?" he murmured sleepily. "I'm tired."

Harry gave him one final kiss and wrapped his arms around him. Draco settled himself against the brunette and fell completely into sleep.

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Wow! I am finally done typing this chapter! Sorry for any spelling errors! Fanfiction is acting gay! Stupid QuickEdit won't let me do crap! --makes stabbing motion with hand-- DIE! DIE! DIE!Also, I know you didn't get too much action in this chapter, but I just wanted to let you guys know how Draco sees the world. It'll become important. Please review and tell me what you think! super-sailor-saturn39


	9. Early Appointment With Voldemort

**Comments: **Thanks so so so much for everyone who reviewed! And remember to never be afraid to give me helpful critiques! As I said previously, I don't have time anymore to answer each question individually. All I can say is that things will be revealed in time.**  
Rating: **R

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Note: **Anyone who wants to draw art for my fan-fic will be in my heart forever and ever! Just give me a link to your art or email it to me. If you give me a link, I'll post it on here so others can see your beautiful works of art!

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 9: Early Appointment with Voldemort**

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The sharp, burning pain on his left arm awakened him. At first Draco's befuddled brain, still trying to rouse itself from sweet oblivion, told him that Harry was gnawing on his arm. He listened to Harry's even breathing and knew that the Gryffindor was still sleeping soundly next to him. Draco roused himself completely and began to feel alarmed. He rolled up his robe sleeve and saw the Mark burning in the very dim light. He said the counter-curse to unlock his hangings and was greeted by an empty dorm. His clock told him it was nine o'clock in the morning.

He got out of bed, gritting his teeth against the pain. _What could be wrong that he would summon me in the morning?_ A feeling of dread overcame him, dulling the logical part of his brain which was trying to tell him that evil was alive not only at night.

He put on his shoes and robes and left to go to Hogsmeade. Since he hadn't learned how to Apparate yet, a portkey near the Shrieking Shack would be activated at his touch and only his. His father had told him that it was an inconspicuous rock sitting near the fence post.

Draco took in a deep breath of the cold morning air. His breath formed a white cloud of moisture. Dew sparkled on the grass like pieces of shining silver cast on a green ground. He did not have the time or the energy to appreciate the beauty of nature

The little town was already awake. Little shops were opening, letting in the morning air and sun. Already the streets were crowded, and Draco reminded himself that it was Friday and not the weekend. A few gave him curious looks as he passed by. He ignored them, looking straight ahead. He finally reached the slope where the Shrieking Shack was. He climbed it and, once he reached it, began looking for the stone.

It did not take him long to find it. It was under the third post to the left on the gate, hidden by long weeds. The stone was smooth and speckled brown and white. Besides these two features there was nothing significant about it. It fit perfectly in the palm of his hand and as soon as he closed his hand over the cold stone, he felt the sharp tug.

When he caught his balance he looked around. It was a large entrance hall, the sun's light falling in long, slender beams from the extremely dirty window that was clear here and there. The light fell across the dusty wooden floor. The air was warm enough to be on the side of uncomfortable. Draco could smell the faint scent of bacon. He thought it odd, but then realized that Voldemort had to eat something.

"Sir," a house elf called him from the right hallway. It was covered with so much dirt and ashes that its skin colour could've been mistaken for black. It nervously twisted its tea cosy between long, thin, dirty fingers. "Master is wanting you."

Draco followed it to the single wooden door at the end of the hallway. He swallowed nervously and composed his face to the blank expression so many knew so well before he opened the door.

There sitting in a black, high-backed chair in all his grey, scaly-skinned glory was Voldemort. His red-blood eyes met Draco's. Draco felt his heart speed up and a cold feeling settled in his stomach. He tried to slow his heart down with little result. He bowed, closed the door, and went to sit across from Voldemort.

"Ah... Draco Malfoy, is it?"

Draco tried to squash the memory of that same high-pitched voice saying _"Crucio". _He hid his hands in his robe so Voldemort wouldn't see them shaking. _Of course I'm Draco Malfoy, you bastard of a snake. You summoned me._ "Yes, my Lord."

An unpleasant smile touched his lipless mouth. "Your father is an exceptional servant. He serves me very well. I hope you are planning to follow in his footsteps, young Malfoy. You will do very well." He reached across to run a long finger down Draco's cheek and mouth. Draco used every ounce of his will power to not jump out of the chair and run. He kept still. "Yes, you will do well," Voldemort repeated. Draco felt like sighing in relief when he withdrew his hand and sat back in his chair. "You can go very far with your looks. Beautiful enough to tempt both men and women to join me just for you. Are you willing to prostitute yourself for our cause, or do you consider yourself too high-classed to do so?" he enquired, tilting his head slightly to the side. The same smile crossed his face again. "Or is there someone else?"

"Someone else, my Lord?" he barely kept from stammering.

"Yes, someone else. What was the name? Of course, how could I forget, Harry Potter."

_Fuck._ One of his classmates did tell after all. That didn't surprise him. But then Voldemort could've used Legilimency on him at his Initiation Ceremony. He probably didn't feel him probing his mind, because Voldmort was a master at it. No use acting stupid and pretending that he had no idea what Voldemort was talking about.

Draco lowered his head in a humbled way. "He means nothing to me. I am only using him for the Cause. I am close enough to him that I could dispose of him at your command."

There was silence. Draco kept his head bowed. He could feel those crimson eyes on him.

"How clever of you," he said softly. "Thinking so far ahead and playing your role to perfection just for the Cause. Admirable trait, young Malfoy. Your father has done an excellent job of raising you."

"Thank you, my Lord," Draco finally looked up.

Voldemort was still looking at him. "Your closeness to him shall be very useful to me," he paused. "You are wondering why I called you on a Friday morning."

It wasn't a question so Draco remained silent.

"Be aware that I know your every move. I keep track of all my Death Eaters. Be wary, my Dragon, or you'll see that your own flames can burn you."

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Draco was still trembling when he entered his dorm. It was empty, as they all were at class, and the beds were neatly made and the hangings pulled back, save for his bed. He took out his wand, unlocked the hangings, and pulled them back and saw that Harry was still sleeping, the bed sheets tangled around him.

"The things I do for you," he murmured, shaking his head. He was about to go back out when Harry gave a groan of distress. Draco turned around. Harry was still sleeping and having a nightmare judging from the way his face was scrunched up. He tossed and turned, tangling himself more in the blankets. His groan turned into gasps which soon turned to sobs. Clear tears began leaking out of the corners of his eyes.

"Potter," Draco shook him.

Harry shrank away from his touch and began whimpering. Draco took a firm hold of his shoulders and shook him none too gently.

"Potter!" he yelled in his ear.

Green eyes fluttered open. Harry looked unfocused for a moment before recognition showed on his face. He looked at Draco and, to the blond's surprise, grabbed him into a fierce embrace.

"Potter," Draco choked, "you're suffocating me."

Harry didn't seem to have heard him. 'Thank gods you're safe! I can't help them!'

He sighed. "I'm not safe anymore, seeing as you have me in a death grip and all."

Harry let him go and looked down at his hands. 'You went to him?'

"Yes. It's not easy to ignore him when he calls."

'I had a dream about your meeting with him.'

For some reason Draco hoped Harry hadn't heard what Voldemort had said about him prostituting himself. It made him ashamed, a feeling he hardly ever felt.

'I couldn't hear anything.' Relief flooded Draco. 'He touched you.'

"You say it like I enjoyed it or had a choice," Draco said softly, watching Harry's hands which had gripped the sheets so tightly his knuckles were white.

'I wish you hadn't joined him. What did you do it for? Glory?' Harry finally looked up, his eyes brilliant without his glasses. They were shining angrily.

_His eyes are like the Avada Kedavra._ "Don't be so stupid, Potter. I joined for reasons you don't know about."

'Then tell me!'

"I'll tell you when you tell me why you haven't talked since sixth year."

'I can't.' He looked dejected.

"Then neither can I," Draco snapped.

'He can turn your mind inside out and find out you're a spy. Then what? Are you going to be self-sacrificing and let him kill you instead of being persuaded to really join his Death Eaters? What if he makes you a sex toy for the other Death Eaters and himself? Where's the glory and honour in that?'

"Snape is training me in Legilimency," Draco replied, his cheeks slightly flushed with his own anger. "And don't be an idiot, Potter. I'm a Slytherin. It would be highly disgraceful to my House if I were self-sacrificing. I'm only spying because of me. I am nothing but true selfishness and self-interest."

'Bollocks! Then you would've gone into hiding! Stop lying to me! Everyone lies to me. Don't'

Draco took a hold of each of Harry's wrists and kissed him, pressing him back to the bed, bringing his captured wrists to either side of his face and pinning them to the bed.

"I don't want to argue with you right now," Draco said as he lifted his head. He smirked at the green-eyed boy. "Plus, I don't see a challenge since I always end up winning anyway."

'That's not true.'

"No arguing right now, remember?"

Harry turned his head to look at the closed hangings on the other side of the bed. 'I just want you to stop this business of spying.'

Draco delighted in giving attention to the wonderfully exposed tan neck. "Don't you know you don't always get what you want? And you're starting to sound too concerned for me."

'Someone should be concerned about you. This spying makes you sound like a Gryffindor.'

Draco looked mortally offended and looked at him. "What an insult. Give it a rest. I am not going to stop spying no matter what you say."

Harry glowered at him. 'Just tell me why you're doing this.'

Draco moved Harry's head so he could attack his neck. He trailed his lips down the smooth skin, stopping every now and then to lightly bite it. "Doing what?" he asked against his skin. "Kissing you?"

Harry sighed exasperatedly. 'No. You know what I mean.'

The blond smiled against his neck. He moved up and touched his lips to the Gryffindor's. "I'll tell you," he traced Harry's lips with his tongue, "as soon as you tell me why you won't talk."

'That's not fair!'

A blond eyebrow was raised. "How so?"

Harry just bit his bottom lip and looked at him with fearful green eyes, but did not give him an explanation.

It was Draco's turn to sigh. "You know, Potter, I'll find the reason even if it kills me."

Harry's eyes widened in horror. He pulled Draco down and pressed his lips to Draco's, kissing him desperately and clinging to him as if he was afraid to let go.

He was puzzled, but did nothing to stop Harry from molesting his mouth. The brunette seemed as if he wanted to suck the very breath out of him. He had to push himself away a few moments later to drag air into his burning lungs. He glanced at Harry who was also breathing hard, his cheeks flushed. He was staring back at Draco with dazed eyes. To Draco he looked absolutely delectable. His lips were red and swollen, parted as if in an invitation to have the blond plunder his tongue in and try to claim him. His eyes were half-way open, showing his lust-filled gaze.

'Don't try to find the reason.' Harry looked at him with imploring eyes. His breathing began to fall back into its regular rhythm. 'Please.'

He had that face on again. The one that made Draco want to give him anything he desired. But he wanted to know what had happened last year and nothing would stop him. He wasn't in Slytherin just for the name after all.

"I wouldn't if you'd just tell me."

Harry looked worried.

"Fine, if you don't want to tell me I'll have to ask Voldemort the next time he calls. How long do you think it'll take for him to tell?" Draco knew that Harry abhorred the fact that he spied and spent time in Voldemort's company. The question was a bribe for him to tell. It was selfish of him to use it against Harry. It sounded like a threat, as if he were saying, "If you don't tell me I'll spend my every free moment with your greatest enemy." He felt the tiniest bit guilty about it, but he was ambitious.

'I wish I could tell you, but I can't.'

"Give me a clue. Does it have anything to do with that Remus Lupin fellow's death?"

Harry closed his eyes. His face fell and he looked so defeated that it was all Draco could do to stop himself from reaching out to hold him and whisper apologies in his ear. Such sadness surrounded him that it was almost tangible. He felt somehow privileged to see such an expression of utter defeat on Harry's face. Harry, the Golden Boy, always winning whatever challenge he faced. It seemed so wrong to see him look so lost and defeated.

"I shouldn't have mentioned him. He was obviously a close friend of yours," Draco said softly.

Harry bit his lip and buried his head in the crook of Draco's neck. 'I didn't mean for him to get killed.'

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head against the pale neck. 'Forget it.'

Draco felt he was walking in circles. How the hell was he supposed to figure out what happened to Harry last year if the Gryffindor kept giving him half clues? All he knew so far that The Event, as he decided to call it, involved Voldemort, the death of Remus Lupin, and it must've been really bad if Harry had stopped talking and refused to tell about it.

He stood up, pulling Harry to a sitting position. He handed him his glasses. "Come on. It's time to get up," he said. He began opening his bed curtains. "And make sure you brush your teeth. Your breath isn't too delightful in the mornings."

Harry pouted at him. 'I do NOT have morning breath.'

"Oh yeah," Draco scoffed. "I must be smelling Filch's breath from all the way in my room then."

'Hey! Stop pushing me!' Harry gave him a scowl as Draco dragged him up from the bed and directed him physically to the door.

"I am not pushing you, Potter. I'm merely helping you find your way."

'Do you have another boyfriend or something?' Harry glared at him from the hallway. Draco had shoved him out there.

Draco leaned against the door frame. "Of course. I'm a busy man." He leaned forward and gave him a lingering kiss. "By the way, I will find out what happened last year." He closed the door, pretending not to see the frightened expression that had crossed Harry's face."

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Now be the delightful fans I know you guys are and go and review. Go on now.super-sailor-saturn39


	10. Conference with Granger

**Comments: **Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update! School's been so busy and it's so hard to find time to type out my chapters! But I think this chapter is long enough to make up for it. I know how frustrating it is to read unfinished fics. I feel your pain. Merry Christmas and Happy Christmas to my British readers!

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Note:** WHOEVER WANTS TO DRAW FOR MY FIC WILL BE LOVED FOREVER!

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 10: Conference with Granger**

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It was a little past four in the afternoon when Draco had decided to go and sit by the lake. He wanted some solitude, even though he hadn't been in anyone's company since he had given Harry a friendly push out his door this morning. He enjoyed having time to himself. He often got it, but ever since he had been with Harry he hadn't had time to be by himself, and he missed it. It was today that he decided to get some privacy since he hadn't seen Harry all day and his classmates were all busy with studying and homework.

As he was nearing the shade of a tree, he heard his name being called. He sighed heavily and turned around. He was most surprised to see Granger walking toward him.

"What is it, Mudblood?" he asked with an impatient look.

She seemed unfazed by the name. But then she hardly ever rose to his baits. "I need to talk to you, Malfoy."

Draco raised his eyebrows and examined her. Her brown hair was still bushy. She wasn't beautiful or ugly. Her face was pleasant enough to look at. She was average size and height. Draco was mildly shocked that she wasn't carrying a pile of books.

"Well, come on then," Draco turned his back to her and began walking away. "I don't want anybody to see me talking to you." He heard her running to catch up to him.

They stopped under the tree and sat on the side that was facing away from Hogwarts. Draco made himself comfortable, displeased with Granger for ruining his alone time. She settled down a foot away from him and stared out at the lake. Silence reigned between them. Tension-filled and full of animosity.

"You know I hate you," she began.

"Really?" Draco feigned surprise. "I thought you had fallen madly in love with me."

She gave him a scathing look. "As I was saying, I hate you and you hate me. I'm only talking to you because of Harry."

"What about him?"

"I had figured out a while before that incident in the Gryffindor Tower that something was going on between the two of you. It wasn't until Harry told Ron and I in the hospital did I know what was truly happening."

Draco yawned. "Get on with it."

Granger continued as if he hadn't said anything. "Of course I was a bit surprised. Ron was furious. He yelled at Harry and told him to never come near him again. Harry was very upset, of course, because Ron's his best friend."

"Really Granger, I didn't think you were one to state the obvious."

She turned to look at him. "What I'm saying, Malfoy, is that Harry gave up Ron for you. I know you hate Ron but he means a lot to Harry. I tried to persuade Harry to break up with you. Obviously he didn't listen to me."

"What's your point?" Draco was glad that the Weasel was no longer Harry's friend. He was better off without him, anyway.

Granger frowned at him. "My point is that if Harry's giving up Ron just for you, you better not hurt him, or you will find yourself turned into a girl."

He prevented himself from rolling his eyes. "I find myself unaffected by your threat."

She stood up angrily, glaring down at him. "I mean it, Malfoy! If you hurt him you better run to You-Know-Who and ask him to give you a merciful death, because you won't be so lucky with me."

He gave her a serene smile. "Then I suppose it's a good thing I have a masochistic streak."

"I'm serious, Malfoy! I swear I'll kill you!" There was a manic gleam in her eyes.

"What is it, Granger?" he drawled. "Will you turn me into a girl or kill me?"

"Whichever curse that enters my mind first," she hissed. "I don't trust you, but I trust Harry's judgment. If he'd risk Ron's friendship for you, perhaps you're worth it." She looked intently at him. "But then maybe you're not. Just watch yourself, Malfoy." She turned and walked away before he could reply.

He was slightly impressed that the bushy-haired girl cared so much for Harry and refused to turn her back on him just because he was dating Draco. He secretly admired her intelligence and her ability to remain sensible regardless of the situation. It was amazing that she was dating a blockhead like Weasley.

Draco gave a heart-felt sigh and leaned his head back against the trunk of the tree. It was the kind of weather Draco liked. It was no more than twenty-one degrees out, and the sky was a clear blue with wisps of white clouds floating lazily across. A slight breeze was blowing, ruffling his hair. The sun shone through the bare branches of the tree, its leaves having fallen off some time in the middle of October.

Draco suddenly felt tired. He laid down in the grass, throwing his arm across his eyes to block out the sunlight. The cool breeze and the sound of birds and the inarticulate talk of the Hogwarts' students lulled him to sleep.

He dreamed that Granger had turned him to a girl. She and Harry had been laughing while Weasley was literally chasing him around Hogwarts professing his love to Draco.

Draco woke up with a start. That could be classified as one of the worst dreams he had had this year. He glanced at the sky and could already see a few stars. He got up and went to the Great Hall, feeling very thirsty. It was dinner time and the Hall was filled with chatter and laughter. Draco ignored it all and went to sit next to Blaise.

"Draco!" Blaise exclaimed. "I haven't seen you since forever! How long has it been? Years? Darling, is that a wrinkle I see?" he lightly touched a corner of Draco's eye.

Draco smacked his hand away. "Shove it, Zabini. I don't have wrinkles."

"Curse my eyes!" Blaise cried in mock horror. "It _is_ a wrinkle!"

Draco growled and grabbed his plate to look at his features. He couldn't find even the tiniest wrinkle. "Liar," he muttered. "I should know better than to trust you. Now shut up. I'm hungry and thirsty."

A brief examination of the Gryffindor table told him that Harry and Weasley were indeed in a fight. Harry was staring down at his food. The Weasel was sitting further down the table with Thomas and Finnigan. Granger was sitting in between, looking irritated.

Draco calculated that it had been four days since Weasley had seen Harry and him kissing. Harry never gave him an even slight indication that he was in a fight with Weasley. Perhaps he had been too busy with the Dark Mark and everything to really pay attention? Was that why Harry had been hanging around Draco so much, because Weasley was avoiding him?

Draco narrowed his eyes at the Gryffindor's lowered head. It was the ultimate insult that Harry should only turn to him when he was in a fight with Weasley. A Malfoy never came in second place.

Harry looked up and jade met stony grey. The smile that had appeared on Harry's face faltered at the icy expression on Draco's face. He felt a shiver go through him when the blond gave him a smile that was neither pleasant nor malicious. It was more of a smile that promised of a consequence for something Harry had done. He had no idea what it was. He just sighed and turned back to picking his food.

After dinner, Draco went to his room to do his homework so he wouldn't have to do it on the weekend. He was reading the most recent issue of the Daily Prophet, which reported another disappearance, when his door opened and closed of what seemed to be of its own accord, but Draco knew better.

"Potter," he said, not glancing up from the paper. He heard a sigh and a rustling of cloth when Harry took off his invisibility cloak. Draco bounced slightly as the Gryffindor flung himself on the bed. Draco gave him an indignant look which was fruitless since Harry had his face pressed into the bed. Draco finished reading the paper forty-five minutes later and was surprised that Harry hadn't tried to crawl into his lap and distract him. He glanced at him and saw that Harry had not moved, except for his head which was turned away from him and toward the fireplace.

"Potter," Draco called softly.

No response.

Draco nudged his still form with his foot. "Potter," he said louder. He crawled over to him when there was still no response. He bent over and saw that Harry was asleep. He groaned. "Merlin, Potter. It's only eleven on a Friday night and you're already asleep." He considered waking him up, but decided against it. The Golden Boy wasn't quite so golden when rudely awoken.

"Hey Draco," Blaise strode into the room and up to the blond's bed. He looked at Harry's sleeping form and broke in to a grin. "I see Potter found out what most of your lovers did."

"And what would that be?" Draco asked, sitting back on his haunches.

"That your libido would put even the man who overdosed himself on pepper-up potion to exhaustion."

Draco just snorted.

Blaise's grin grew. "Well, a bunch of us are sneaking to Hogsmeade. You coming?"

Draco shrugged. "Why the hell not? I'm not going to get much action tonight, anyway," he indicated Harry and proceeded to strip himself down to his boxers. He threw on his black trousers and black sweater. He put on his shoes and grabbed his cloak and closed the bed curtains around Harry before following Blaise out to the Common Room. A group of ten or so seventh year Slytherins were waiting for them.

Draco took out his wand and tapped six times on the sixth stone to the right of the fireplace. The stones shifted and some disappeared to reveal a black hole. He waited until everyone climbed through before doing so himself. He heard the wall closing as he slid down the tunnel. It was pitch black and there were some sharp turns. He could hear far off distant noises, but wasn't worried. He relaxed. After awhile he saw the dim light that signified the underground path he would land on. Draco prepared himself and landed gracefully on his feet. Blaise was the only one waiting for him.

"You're always making me late," Blaise whined. He turned and began walking, his head almost brushing the dirt ceiling.

Draco refrained from telling him that if it wasn't for him, Blaise would be an hour late instead of the usual half to all his appointments.

Their way was guided by a lit candle encased in a crystal ball that floated beside them. It had been Draco's idea to charm it when they had been first told of the secret passage by the seventh years when they were in their sixth year. So whenever someone came to the passage, the candle would immediately light up and follow the person or persons.

Fifteen minutes later they came to a stairway leading up. They climbed it and pushed open the trap door. The candle went out and floated back down to the passageway to wait until they came back.

They were behind a tree near the edge of Hosmeade. Draco let the trap door slam shut. Once it was shut you couldn't tell it was there since grass covered it. Both Slytherins began walking to the Three Broomsticks. The night was cool and the stars shone brightly in the midnight sky. Most shops were closed save for the bars. No one was outside. A cat turned its glowing eyes to them before dashing off.

The Three Broomsticks was noisy like it was every Friday night. There were all kinds of witches and wizards there to celebrate the end of a busy week. Draco and Blaise went and sat at a large table with their friends. A pretty girl that looked to be no older than twenty-three came to take their drinks. She was obviously a new girl seeing as she kept getting their orders mixed up and blushing furiously under the gazes of the males. She told them her name was Adela when asked. She left and came back with their drinks. She gave Draco an appraising look before rushing off.

It was close to two when Draco decided to go back to Hogwarts. The other Slytherins were too drunk to notice Draco leaving. He felt a little fuzzy, but not too much. He had sipped his Mandrake Mix unlike his friends who had downed theirs in one gulp.

The night was growing colder. Just as he was about to close the trap door, someone called his name. Draco saw that it was Blaise and waited for him. He sighed impatiently when the darker-haired boy tripped and fell. Blaise laughed and got up. Draco cast a sobering charm on him.

"Aww, Draco!" Blaise said, climbing into the passage after him. "Why'd you do that for?"

"Because, Zabini, when you're drunk you're loud enough to wake the dead."

They arrived at the Common Room twenty minutes later. It took five minutes more than usual thanks to Blaise's antics. Draco was so tired he felt like dropping on the floor and sleeping.

"Shhh," Draco said as they entered their dorm room.

"Sorry," Blaise whispered. "I forgot lover boy was sleeping."

Draco threw his cloak over his trunk and took off his shoes, using his toes to pry them off. He decided to sleep in his clothes, since he found that he had no energy to take them off let alone change.

Blaise had already fallen asleep on his bed and was snoring. He hadn't even bothered to take off his own shoes.

Draco heard movement behind the bed curtains and smiled. Maybe Harry was awake and he would be up to a little romp before they went to sleep. He opened the curtains so that the firelight could show him Harry. A horrified gasp escaped his lips at what he saw.

---------------------------------------------------------

I hate cliffhangers, but I love writing them! Sorry this took forever to post. Chapter 11 will be out way sooner than this was. super-sailor-saturn39


	11. Snape's Revelation

**Comment:** This version is unbeta'd so my apologies for all the mistakes. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I hope everyone had a happy holiday. I can't believe the new year is almost here. Wow, time flies. Well, enjoy and remember that all your questions will be answered in later chapters. Just have patience!

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 11: Snape's Revelation**

-

Harry was laying naked spread eagle on the bed, each hand and foot tied to a different post with what looked to be heavy, coarse ropes. He was gagged and blindfolded with black cloths. Draco's eyes travelled over his form to stop at a glistening pool on Harry's stomach. As the raven-haired boy moved, some of the liquid fell down his side and left thin trails in their wake. Trails of red.

Draco swallowed hard. He shouted at himself to move. To go help Harry. His feet would not obey. A sobbing voice in his head cried, "Help him! Help him!" His feet finally moved when Harry began thrashing violently, splattering the red liquid all over the bed.

"Harry," Draco choked. He pulled at the ropes, but they were fastened securely. The ropes were coarse, as he had thought they would be. They left angry red lines on his hands. "Hold on, I'll untie you." He was panicking; so unlike his usual cool self. He couldn't get the ropes to loosen their hold. "Hold on," he whispered. Harry moaned in a pained way.

_Think! Think!_ He was shouting at himself again. He pounded his head with his hand. The pain brought back some of his common sense. _You're a wizard, you dim-witted sod, _a voice told him condescendingly.

Draco pulled out his wand with a shaking hand and muttered the counter-curse to unbind Harry. The ropes fell away from him. Draco threw his wand on the bed and climbed onto it to take off Harry's blindfold and gag. Glistening green eyes stared at him. Harry's lower lip trembling and he was making a low keening sound.

"Harry." The name came out as an exhalation. "Oh gods. Who did this to you?"

Harry threw himself in Draco's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. All Draco could do was hold him and not let the strange prickling in his eyes take control.

"What's going on?" Blaise asked sleepily. "Who's crying?" There was a pause and then a gasp. "Draco! What happened?"

Draco didn't answer. He didn't even try to come up with an explanation. He heard the faint clicks of Blaise's shoes as he went to stand in front of Draco's bed.

"Draco," Blaise's tone was urgent. "Have you read what it says on the wall?"

Draco turned around and his eyes grew wide at what he saw. Written in blood- Harry's blood, Draco was absolutely sure of it- were the words: **_Your own flames can burn you, Dragon. _**

"That fucking bastard," Draco hissed. He felt rage building inside him so that he felt he was made of it.

"That's fucking sick," Blaise muttered.

Draco turned away from the wall. Harry was clinging to him tightly. Draco pointed at the cloak lying on his trunk. Blaise gave it to him. Draco wrapped it around Harry's shaking body.

"Blaise, I need you to clean this mess," his voice was cool, calm. "Make sure you get all the... blood." He turned his attention to Harry, not that it really had been anywhere else. "Harry, I need to clean you up, alright? I need you to walk to the bathroom."

Harry shook his head. His wild sobs had lessened.

"Yes, yes," Draco said. "You can do it. I'll be right there every step of the way. If you can't make it all the way, I'll catch you. We need to clean this up before anyone else sees, do you understand?"

A nod.

Draco scooted off the bed, pulling Harry with him. He helped him to his feet and was afraid the Gryffindor would fall. Harry leaned heavily on him, Draco's cloak placed about his shoulders. Slowly they made it to the bathroom. Draco closed and locked the door. He carefully sat Harry down on an armchair to turn on the water in the shower. It was the only time that Draco cursed Dumbledore for not putting a bathtub in their bathroom.

He took off his clothes, his sweater sticking to his stomach from Harry's blood. Harry was staring blankly at the floor. Draco pulled him up. The cloak fell to the ground. He supported Harry to the shower, putting them both under the warm spray, the water washing away some of the blood. Draco helped Harry sit against the wall so he could get a washcloth. He began gently scrubbing Harry's arms, down his chest, to his stomach-

"Fuck," Draco cursed, closing his eyes. There was a long, deep diagonal gash that started under his left ribs, across the expanse of his stomach, an inch or so under his bellybutton, to his right hipbone. It was bleeding and supplying the shower drain with a moderate amount of fresh blood. He had to get Snape.

Draco lifted Harry's chin so he could look into his eyes. He regretted it at once. Harry's eyes were completely blank and lifeless. "I'm going to go get Snape, OK? Stay here. I'll be right back." With that Draco dashed off, grabbing a robe on his way and putting it on. He didn't take the time to see if Blaise was in the dorm.

Once he reached Snape's door he pounded on it furiously. Snape shouted to stop. The door opened to reveal Snape in his black night robes. He gave Draco an inquiring look.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

"Harry, sir," Draco panted, clutching his side. He had never run so fast in his life.

Snape became alert. "Lead the way."

Draco immediately obeyed. "I found him with blood all over him in my bed. He had a big cut across his stomach. I think he's in shock. He stares at nothing."

They reached the Slytherin portrait. Draco quickly said the password and led the way to the dorm and straight to the bathroom. He could hear the shower still running. As he came around the bend to the stall, his heart nearly froze. Harry was laying on the floor, the water running over him. Rivulets of blood mixed with water raced to the drain. His eyes were closed. It looked as if he wasn't even breathing.

"Professor," Draco said.

Snape shut the shower off. He pressed his fingers to Harry's neck. "He's still alive. He's just unconscious. We need to get him to the hospital wing immediately. Madam Pomfrey has potions for this sort of cut. Give me something to wrap around him."

Draco grabbed Blaise's green bathrobe from behind the door. With assistance from Snape he was able to put the robe on Harry's limp form. The part covering his stomach quickly grew a darker shade. Snape took out his wand and muttered a spell.

"That will lessen the bleeding briefly." Snape picked him up in a surprisingly gentle manner. Harry's head lolled against the Potion Master's shoulder before falling back. Draco made to follow them out of the dorm, but Snape stopped him. "Stay here and help clean with Zabini. Get it done before the others come back."

Draco seethed, but obeyed. He watched as Snape went out the Common Room. Draco turned back to look at his bed. Blaise was wiping the stone floor surround his bed.

"Magic can't clean up blood all that well," Blaise explained, as if Draco already hadn't known. He gave Draco a towel and a bottle of cleaning solution. "I can't clean all of this by myself," Blaise said when he saw Draco's expression of disgust at the rag. "Hurry up and start on the wall."

Draco looked up at the red dripping letters. It gleamed from the firelight. Draco found his hand shaking and quickly stilled it before Blaise noticed. _You're not afraid of a little bit of blood, are you, you coward? _a voice asked him mockingly.

Draco pressed his lips together and took a determined step to his bed. He climbed and stood on it. He poured some cleaning solution on the rag. He slowly reached out and swiped at the wall. The blood smeared. He did it again. This time some of the blood came off.

By the time he was done, his arms were aching, not used to so much work. There only faint traces of red in the tiny cracks on the wall. Both boys stripped the bed and called a house elf to get new sheets and wash the old ones. The elf took the dirty sheets and left in a manner that conveyed it did not care in the least that the sheets were bloody.

Just as he was leaving to go to the hospital wing, the seventh years were climbing out of the wall. Most were leaning heavily upon one another and talking loudly.

"Drakie," Pansy slurred, her eyes unfocused. "Where are you going, love?"

"Hospital wing."

She squinted as she looked him over. "What happened?"

"I cut myself," Draco said curtly. He showed her the part of his arm that was bloody.

"So heal it yourself," she mumbled, her interest already wandering to Darius Gingkins who was spread out on the couch.

"Don't be such a dumb fuck," Draco snapped. "The teachers will sense the magic and I'll get in trouble, especially when they find out that I healed my arm instead of going to Madam Pomfrey."

Draco left, disgusted at the way Pansy literally threw herself on the dark-haired boy. He didn't bother to knock on the hospital door. The fireplace lit the room and a lamp was on behind one of the bed curtains; Draco assumed Harry was there. A dark figure was near the corner of the curtain. He pulled the curtain and saw that it was Snape sitting in an armchair. He was staring listlessly at the bed. Draco's eyes followed the obsidian ones. White bed sheets were pulled up to Harry's chin. His face was pale- possibly from the loss of blood- and his hair was strewn everywhere. His eyes were closed, and he looked to be dead if you didn't see the rise and fall of his chest.

Draco took a seat on the opposite side of Snape near Harry's head. "What did Madam Pomfrey do?"

"Cleaned up his wound, gave him some potions, and wrapped up his cut. If the knife had been pushed in any further it could have punctured some important organs."

"I never realized what a horrible life he has. From what I've heard his relatives starved him and locked him in a cupboard under the stairs."

"It's true," Snape said very quietly.

Draco's eyebrows were raised slightly in surprise. "I thought it was a rumour. Besides that, people either want to kill him or control him."

"And which category would you fit in to, Draco?"

Draco was surprised by the question, but didn't show it. "I have yet to decide."

"I'm sure you don't want to kill him."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Dumbledore tells me you want to spy," Snape said.

Draco wondered why Dumbledore would tell Snape this when he was on Voldemort's side. Was Snape trying to trick him to test Draco's loyalty to Voldemort?

"I never told Dumbledore no such thing," he replied calmly. "The old man is delusional." He felt something touch his mind. He stood up quickly and glared at Snape. "Stop it! You have no permission to enter my mind!"

"I have every right to do so if it involves Potter," Snape's voice didn't even raise a decibel.

"And why would you even care? You're just like the rest of them. All you want to do is control him," Draco spat out.

"Let me guess, you're one of those who don't want to?"

"Yes, I am. I'm not like you. You only want to use him so you can turn him over to Voldemort don't care what happens to him."

"Don't you dare tell me that I don't care about him," Snape hissed.

"I never knew you were one to despise the truth," Draco mocked. "Did Voldemort set you up to this?"

Snape blinked. "Voldemort? No, you stupid boy. Tell me where your allegiance lies."

Draco snorted. "Why would I tell you something like that for? You don't tell _me_ anything."

"How about we make a deal? You tell me what I want to know and I'll tell you what you want to know."

"How will I know you're telling the truth?"

"Are you suggesting we should use Veritaserum?" Snape said with an eyebrow raised.

Draco nodded. "Yes. Under some conditions. If neither one of us wants to answer a question we raise our hand. If one of us keeps asking the question and forces the other to answer it, that person will tell Voldemort that the questioner is a traitor."

"Agreed." Snape drew a small vile of clear liquid out of his robe. "It's always useful to have it handy," he said when he saw Draco's look of incredulity. "Since you got to set the conditions, I get to question you first. Draco nodded since he didn't think it was that big of a deal. Snape applied a drop on Draco's tongue. "What's your full name?"

"Draco Lucius Malfoy," Draco said in a flat tone.

"When and where were you born?"

"On December 3, 1979 at Malfoy Manor at 6:53 pm."

"Do you love your mother and father?"

"One more than the other."

"What are your intentions toward Harry Potter?"

"We're dating, I guess you could say. I don't want to hurt him."

"How do you feel about him?"

"I like him. He's beautiful and he does amazing things with his mouth."

Snape blinked, but did not comment. "Do you love him?"

Draco's hand immediately shot up as his mouth opened to answer.

"You don't have to answer it," Snape said quickly. Draco's mouth closed. "Whose side are you on?"

"My own."

"Which side are you fighting for?"

"My own," Draco repeated.

"Let me rephrase that. Between Dumbledore and the Dark Lord, which side do you support?"

"Dumbledore's."

"Why did you turn against your father?"

"Because he's lost his mind and dignity. He wants to kneel at the feet of a half-blood."

"You disapprove?"

"With all my heart."

"Why didn't you join us in the beginning?"

"Who is 'us'?"

"Dumbledore's side."

"I didn't really think about my feelings toward my father's service to the Dark Lord until my father asked me if I was ready to receive the Dark Mark."

"Why did you get involved with Potter in the first place?"

"I was interested in him."

"Are you going to turn him over to Voldemort?"

"No."

"Are you using him in any way?"

"Yes. I do kind of use him for the sex."

Once again, Snape refused to comment. "Do you want to control him?"

"No."

Snape paused. "What are your feelings toward Dumbledore?"

"He's manipulative. I don't like him."

"Do you know or have any idea who hurt Potter tonight?"

"No."

"That's it. Just wait for half an hour forit to wear off."

Half an hour later Snape took the potion and it was Draco's turn to question him.

"Why did you want to put me under Veritaserum?"

Snape's voice, like Draco's had been, was expressionless. "I wanted to be certain you were telling the truth."

"Why?"

"To make sure Potter wasn't in any danger."

"Are you supporting Dumbledore's side?"

"Yes."

"So you're spying for him?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Before he killed Lily and James Potter."

"Why do you hate Harry?"

"I don't."

"What do you think of him?"

"He's insolent, fool-hardy, stubborn, and wonderful."

Draco drew back in surprise. "What did you say?"

Snape's hand rose.

"Stop," Draco commanded as Snape said, "He's-"

Did Snape like Harry? Merlin, he must if he thought Harry was wonderful! Draco had always thought that Snape hated Harry. It was blatantly obvious if one were to look at Snape's expression when he looked at the Gryffindor. But then Snape was an excellent actor. If Snape liked Harry, was that why he always rushed to save him? Putting his own life on the line...

"My gods," Draco drew in his breath as he stared wide-eyes at Snape. "You love him, don't you?"

-


	12. The Weasel and the Mudblood

**Comment:** This version is finally beta'd... Well, it has been for a while but I was too lazy to make any changes. Thanks Melanie and Catherine!

**Rating: **17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 12: The Weasel and the Mudblood**

**-**

Snape's hand shot up as fast as lightning.

"Stop" Draco said, tempted to let Snape answer, but not wanting to be handed over to Voldemort as a traitor. "How long have you loved him?"

His hand remained raised.

"Stop." Draco decided to lay off Snape's feelings for now. "Do you have any idea why Harry hasn't spoken?"

"Voldemort is hiding a secret and Potter's the only one who knows it."

"What's the secret" Draco asked curiously.

"It has something to do with the disappearances of the witch and wizards."

"Witch? Did one disappear?"

"Yes."

"Who was it?"

"Portia Maly. She's an Auror."

"When did she disappear?"

"Friday morning some time around eleven."

_Must have been right after I left Voldemort, _Draco thought. "Do you know what's happening to those Voldemort took ? "

"No."

"An idea?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"He might be using them in some kind of ritual that has something to do with either their knowledge of top secret information or their powers since all three are very powerful."

Draco thought of something. "What happened to Remus Lupin?"

"Some members of the Order found him dead in the library at Headquarters. It seems that all his nerves were inflamed before he died. The cause of death was the explosion of his heart."

Draco decided that was all the information he wanted to know. It would be useless to question him further on how he felt about Harry since he obviously didn't want to answer him.

"That's all." Draco went and sat back down in his chair. Harry was sleeping peacefully, his hand clutching the pillow underneath him. Draco brushed back a strand of ebony hair that fell in Harry's eyes. "You spend too much time in the hospital, Harry" he said softly. He looked up when he heard a snort from Snape. The Veritaserum had clearly worn off.

"It's practically his second home. The boy is a true Gryffindor, rushing into things without thought. The fool" Snape said in a condescending voice, his eyes and voice perfectly blank.

"You love him for it," Draco said. _Let's see how Snape responds without Veritaserum._

"Draco" he warned. "I will not talk about this. It is none of your concern."

"I thought you hated him."

"I never said such a thing"

"It's in the way you treat and look at him."

Snape was silent. "Of course I had to treat him like that. The Dark Lord has spies everywhere. I couldn't have him thinking I felt something besides hate hatred for Potter."

"Do you love him?"

"Do you?"

Draco met the obsidian eyes. "No."

"Of course you don't. Is that why you refused to answer the question under Veritaserum"

"No. I just thought that I'd rather tell under my own free will instead of being forced to. And you"

"Don't worry about it," Snape said. He looked at Harry.

Draco followed his gaze. "He seems so fragile."

"Never underestimate him."

"Why are you so hard on him when you're training him? You insult him and make him mad when he tries to concentrate, yet you blame him for messing up."

"He needs to learn to control his magic at all times. If the Wizarding World expects him to defeat Voldemort, then he must know what he's doing."

"Have you tried getting him to tell you what Voldemort's doing with those people?"

"Of course I have" Snape scoffed. "The boy will not say anything."

"I know" Draco nodded in understanding. The night's events were catching up with him, and he felt utterly drained. A few questions more before he went to bed. "How is he physically?"

"Besides his cut and loss of blood? The ropes left marks on his wrists and ankles. Obviously he tried to break free. He has a bruise on his lower back. Further examinations showed us that he was raped."

Draco clenched his fist. "Is there more?"

"No. Nothing more." Snape stood up. "Go to bed, Draco. You are not invincible." He left in his trademark billow of black robes.

Draco leaned back in his chair. So Snape was in love with Harry in a completely non-platonic way. Somehow that didn't surprise him. He seemed more intent on treating Harry differently than he would a normal student. At first Draco had thought it was to show Harry that he was not special in Snape's eyes, but now he knew that wasn't the case. Snape had done it to show himself that Harry was not personally important to him in any way. After all, hadn't Draco been doing that for the past seven years?

The realization shocked him and the phrase "Know thyself" popped into his head. His father had been drilling that into his mind ever since he could remember. It was a dangerous thing, especially when you lived a life that involved Voldemort, not to know yourself inside and out. People could use that to their advantage.

A glance at the clock told him that it was almost six o'clock. He remembered that he had Quidditch practice in an hour. He felt like sleeping for a week. Draco forced himself to a standing position and walked back to the Slytherin bathroom to take a long, cold shower to wake himself up. Every time he glanced down at the drain, he thought he saw red mixing with the water to form a pink colour that disappeared into the drain. Draco shut the water off and grabbed a green towel to dry himself off. He slipped on his casual robes and went to the Great Hall to have a bit of an early breakfast. The house elves made sure breakfast was on all the tables at six every morning for the early risers. Draco was usually one of the first in the Great Hall. It really depended on his mood.

Two pieces of toast and a cup of coffee later he made his way down to the Quidditch locker rooms. It was still dark outside. The thick grey clouds foretold of a cloudy day.

The house elves must of known the Slytherins had practice today, because the torches were lit. Draco took off his robes and put on his Quidditch robes and gear. He retrieved his broom from its case and strode out to the pitch. He stood in the middle of it and closed his eyes. The cool air cleared his senses. He breathed in deeply, enjoying the way the air stung his nostrils.

"Draco."

Draco's eyes snapped open and he spun around in surprise. Standing a few feet away from him was Lucius. His father had black robes on and his ice blond hair that Draco had inherited was loose instead of in its usual ponytail.

"Father" Draco managed to hide his surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"A father can not come to see his son?"

"That's not what I meant. I thought you would be with mother in Venice."

"I told her to go without me this year so she took one of her friends."

Draco tilted his head slightly. "How is she?"

"She was worried about you after your initiation" Lucius replied. "She is fine now, though."

"I'm happy to hear. And you, father? How are you?"

Lucius chuckled. "You always knew how to say one thing but mean something else. I think what you mean to ask is what do I want. Am I correct?"

"Yes."

"I knew you had early Quidditch practice so I decided to come and talk to you before anyone else could be up. Our master wants a certain Ravenclaw to join him."

"A Ravenclaw, father?" Draco said contemptuously.

Lucius patted him on the shoulder. "I know. The Dark Lord thinks that this one's intelligence could help us immensely."

"How so?"

"He didn't say."

"Who is it?"

"Terry Boot."

Draco was silent for a time. "What would you have me do?" Draco already knew the answer.

"Persuade him, of course. Our lord says by any means necessary."

"But Potter..."

Lucius leaned close to whisper, "Will never know. You are cunning enough to prevent yourself from getting caught."

Draco nodded. "Yes, father."

Lucius straightened up and smiled at him. "Speaking of Potter, how is he?"

Draco's eyes flew to meet Lucius'. His father's eyes were blank of course. "He was attacked late last night, or very early this morning depending on how you look at it."

Lucius chuckled again, this time more unpleasantly than last. "I know. He left you a message in Potter's blood."

Draco was speechless so he just nodded.

"He told me as much. It's just a warning, Draco. We all get it sometimes."

"Father, if the Dark Lord could reach Potter from outside of Hogwarts then why doesn't he just kill him?"

"Our lord likes to play mind games. What happened to him tonight was just to show Dumbledore that he will never be able to protect Potter completely." Lucius glanced at the rising sun. "I better go. Your team mates will soon be joining you and it wouldn't do for me to be seen here."

"Before you go I want to know something else."

"Yes"

"Who attacked Potter?"

"It's better that you not know. Be careful, Draco. You are important to the Cause." With that Lucius left.

Weasley confronted him when Draco was on his way to lunch. He looked absolutely furious. He shoved Draco into an empty classroom before the blond could protest. Draco found a wand pointed at his chest. He raised his eyebrows at the redhead.

"What are"

"Shut the fuck up" he snapped. "Tell me what you did to Harry."

"I did noth"

He jabbed the wand into Draco's chest. "Don't bother denying it. I know Harry was in your room when it happened."

"Then you must know that I was in Hogsmeade from eleven until two. I found him like that when I got back."

"Like what?"

"Naked and bloody on the bed."

Weasley paled. "How do I know you didn't do it?"

"You don't."

"You bastard"

Draco grabbed the wand out of his hand so fast that the Gryffindor was left gaping at him in surprise.

"Shut it, Weasley. I didn't do anything to Potter. If you don't believe me then too fucking bad."

Weasley threw his face close to Draco's, glaring at him with eyes full of hate. "I don't believe you. He trusts you for some reason. He's too foolish to see that you'd turn on him in a heartbeat."

Draco shoved Weasley in the chest. He narrowed his cold grey eyes at him. "Don't you dare lecture me on loyalty, you hypocrite. It takes very little for you to turn your back on him. You turn on him as easily as the wind changes directions. Your jealousy in fourth year is an example, and in the next year, and now just because of his choice of lover. What kind of 'friend' do you call yourself?"

Weasley shoved him back. "Who are you to preach to me about friendship? You don't have anyone in Slytherin house that will trust you without question and follow you wherever you lead. Harry will always have me to do that, because I'm his best mate."

"Oh yeah? If you trust him implicitly, then why aren't you trusting him with me?"

"He makes bad choices sometimes and this is one of those times."

"So you're going to leave him to deal with it?"

"You don't understand shit," Weasley spat. "Every time we bring you up he ignores us or leaves the room. He won't listen to us."

"He didn't listen to Granger either, but she's still there, isn't she?"

"Yes."

Draco opened the door. "You're not worth my time," he said, slamming the door. _Merlin, _he thought as he walked toward the dungeons, _both the Weasel and the Mudblood in less than twenty-four hours. I pray to the dear gods this never happens again._

Snape was waiting for him near the bottom of the stairs. He was scowling. "Mr. Malfoy, follow me."

Draco sighed. What was it this time? Couldn't he go to his room without being stopped every time? Snape led him to a portrait of a newt sitting on a lily pad. He whispered the password so the blond couldn't hear. As soon as they entered, a figure draped in dark green stood up from the couch. The figure turned to face them and Draco realized that it was Harry.

"Harry? Why are you out of the hospital wing? You're not released until Sunday night."

He still looked pale, his face's lack of colour accentuated by his dark hair. His legendary green eyes stood out, showing a dark, dull green behind his glasses. He was wrapped in a blanket, his hand shaking where it clutched the blanket to his chest. His wrist was red.

When no response came Draco turned to Snape. "Professor? Why is he in your living room"

"Mr. Potter decided to grace my quarters with his presence during lunch, still in his hospital robes. He demanded I continue to teach him wandless magic and Occlumency" Snape said, frowning. "I could talk no sense into him and, since I've been forbidden to curse my students, I went and got you, hoping you would drag him out of my rooms."

Harry strode over to them. 'I'm not leaving until I master Occlumency.'

"You have been training in Occlumency for the past two years, Potter, and still have not been able to throw me off. What makes you think you could master it in one day" Snape sneered.

'I didn't care for it back then. I didn't think it was important. Now I do and I know I can do it."

"Over-confidence can lead to dire consequences," Snape said.

Harry dropped his blanket and stepped toward Snape. Draco immediately noticed the scar, long and red. He only had on a pair of red pyjama bottoms. Draco heard the slight hitch in Snape's breath.

'Teach me.' Harry's eyes were blazing determinedly as he stared at Snape. If he had spoken those two words it would of been in a demanding tone.

He looked so hot like that that Draco started getting aroused. He would of given about anything to jump the other boy right then. A glance at Snape's wide eyes and slightly clenched jaw told him the professor felt the same way. Draco wasn't happy with that. He respected the man, but did not appreciate him lusting after his boyfriend.

"So be it," Snape replied curtly. "It's going to be a long day, Potter."

Draco settled in to watch them to make sure Snape didn't do anything. He did know, however, that if his Head of House had wanted to act on his feelings, he would have done it by now. It never hurt to be extra careful, though.


	13. Getting Through?

**Comment:** This version is only beta'd so Catherine. One beta can not catch all the grammar and spelling errors so excuse this chapter for now. I'm so sorry it took... er... checks calendar 2 months to post. I had half of it typed out sometime in February and was too lazy to type the other part. I just typed it yesterday. --0 Hopefully chapter 14 won't take a long time to post. But it might take a while since I'm only halfway through. Well, enjoy and happy reading!

**Rating: **17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 13: Getting Through?**

Draco knew how hard it was to defend your mind from someone who was trying to break into it. Doing it for only half an hour exhausted him. He admired Harry for getting up each time he fell down before Snape could yell at him. It had become part of a routine for the past two hours, and Harry was taking longer to get up each time he fell.

"Stand up, Potter," Snape said when Harry had been on the floor for a full minute.

He struggled up, his legs shaking before he collapsed. Snape caught him before he could hit the floor.

'I'm fine. Just give me a minute, then we can continue.' He was leaning heavily against Snape. His eyes were unfocused and his breathing sounded erratic.

"Don't be a fool. You can barely stand," Snape said.

Draco went over to them, uncomfortable that Snape was touching Harry in any way. Snape handed Harry over to him, his face blank. He held onto Harry's waist longer than was necessary in Draco's opinion. Snape drew his hands back.

'Draco? Tell Snape I can continue.' He breathed unevenly against the blond's neck.

"No you can't. You can't even hold your own weight," Draco said, trying to get a firmer hold on him so he could support him.

'Yes I can.' Harry pushed him away and stood straight for a few moments before his knees buckled. Draco caught him and rested the idiot against his side.

"Stubborn brat," Draco said in his ear, giving it a kiss. "You're resting whether you want to or not." He steered him to the couch. Draco sat down next to him, and Harry immediately curled up against him.

"Could we stay here for a bit?" Draco asked Snape who was watching them in his usual indifferent manner.

"Rather a rhetorical question. Dumbledore will skin me alive if I say no," he muttered.

"I'm sorry?"

"Yes," Snape said. "Please feel free to get out as soon as Potter here regains his womanly strength."

Harry looked indignant. 'I do NOT have womanly strength!'

Snape sneered and left the room. Harry sighed and scooted closer to Draco, burying his face in the pale neck. Draco shivered at the warm puffs of air.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Draco said after a few minutes of silence.

'I can't tell you much. One minute I'm sleeping and the next I wake up tied to your bed and blindfolded.'

Draco could tell that Harry had lowered his eyes by the tickle of his lashes. _Butterfly kisses,_ he thought.

'You know what that man did to me. I'm going to kill him. Can we not talk about it? I just want to'

"Want to what?" Draco inquired when the writing disappeared. He drew away to look at Harry who was staring down at his legs. He lifted his chin. Bright green met grey and they both froze. Draco realized that they hadn't shagged since Thursday afternoon in Snape's room. He was horny as hell. Abstinence was _not_ his thing. He reasoned with himself that Harry wouldn't want to do anything after what he had gone through last night. With that thought in mind, he tried to will his erection away, but the image of Harry sucking him off wasn't helping in the slightest.

'You want to shag.'

The blond was surprised by the blunt statement. "How do you know?"

Harry tilted his face slightly and a small smile touched his lips. 'Your eyes get dark.'

"Is that so?"

'Yes. I can tell by other things too.' His hands drifted and clutched Draco through his robes.

"Harry," he moaned, closing his eyes momentarily. "You don't have to--"

Harry's mouth was suddenly crushing his. Draco's hands immediately travelled to his neck, one hand tangling in the silky ebony hair. Harry pushed the heel of his palm into Draco's crotch. Draco's gasp was swallowed by Harry who took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside Draco's mouth. His hands pulled at Draco's robes until it was hiked up around the Slytherin's waist. His trousers were unbuttoned and he lost his breath when Harry's rather cool fingers slipped past his boxers to clutch his cock, which was rock hard.

"Fuck, Harry," he said between kisses. "I want you."

Harry's hand left him. Draco groaned in protest. The Gryffindor quickly took off his pyjama bottoms. He swung a leg over Draco and straddled him. They both hissed when their cocks brushed against each other. Harry moved until Draco's cock was directly under his entrance. He rocked back and forth, smearing the precome on the entrance. Before Draco could summon some lubricant, Harry sat down, his face scrunched in pain as Draco entered him.

The hot, tight feeling around his cock almost made him come. "Oh gods, fuck, Harry," he panted.

Harry began moving in slow and rhythmic thrusts. His mouth was parted and his eyes nearly black. Draco pulled him down for a kiss, biting his lip and sucking greedily on the tongue Harry thrust into his mouth. He took the hand on his shoulder and intertwined it with his. He moved it between their bodies and began stroking Harry's cock. He ran a finger over the slit, gathering his precome on it. He brought it to Harry's mouth. Harry eagerly took the finger into his mouth and sucked. Draco brought Harry's head down to kiss him fiercely as if Harry had not right to taste himself. His hands joined Harry's against to continue stroking his erection.

Draco moved his hips to meet Harry. "Harder," he commanded.

Harry obeyed. The couch slid as their thrusts became more frenzied, both close to climax. It was difficult to kiss since neither could meet the other's mouth without coming up for air a few seconds later. Harry moved his hands to clutch the back of the couch. He thrust harder, rocking the couch more. They both broke off the kiss, intent now on reaching their climax. Draco came, crying out loudly, seeing stars burst. Harry continued to ride him. Draco's hands paused before he continued stroking. Harry came, his head thrown back, clutching the couch tightly. His seed spurted onto Draco's robe, the white a great contrast to his black robes. Nothing could be heard except the crackling fire and the ragged breathing of two satiated boys.

Draco brushed back Harry's fringe and kissed the sweaty forehead. _Gods, he's fucking beautiful,_ he thought. Harry rested his head on Draco's shoulder, his forehead pressed against the silk robes. He felt him shudder and, thinking that Harry was cold, grabbed the blanket that Harry had been huddled in earlier that was on the back of the couch and wrapped it around him, but the shuddering didn't stop. An almost inaudible whimper from Harry told him that he was silently crying.

Draco became alarmed, scared that he had caused this. He lifted Harry's chin and kissed the salty tears. Those mesmerising eyes were bright with more tears. Draco took his glasses off and set them next to them on the couch. Harry's dark eyelashes were stuck wetly together.

He kissed the eyelids, murmuring, "What's wrong?"

Harry wrapped his hand around Draco's waist, resting his head on the blond's shoulder again. 'I just want you to hold me.'

Draco realized that it had been what Harry was trying to tell him before they had started talking about shagging.

'Help me forget that there isn't just the two of us.'

The Malfoy heir was unaccustomed to people depending on him to make them feel emotions. His world was nothing but blank faces, deceit, murder, betrayal, indifference, and self-preservation above all. Calming Harry down was easier than trying to make him feel safe when Draco himself felt so insecure. How ironic could life get? So, unsure of what to do, he did what Harry asked him to and held him.

Draco's back began to hurt and his body wasn't comfortable in this position. He shifted, but it did not improve the situation. He carefully arranged it so that he was laying on his side with his back touching the back of the couch and Harry nestled next to him, their bodies touching every inch of the other. He found the clothes highly irritating and quickly undressed himself, grimacing at the prominent white spot on his robes. That was going to prove impossible to remove from the silky material.

Harry cleaned himself with a wave of his hand and pressed himself against Draco again. The blanket was big enough to cover them up to their shoulders. Draco hoped Snape could find some students to torture or something to amuse him until Draco and Harry left. He didn't want to leave now since they both were so comfortable. He tried to picture what Snape's expression would be if he walked into his living room to see two naked boys laying on the couch. All he could come up with was a look of lust when the obsidian eyes would land on Harry.

'I hope Snape takes his time in coming back.'

Draco smirked. "You read my mind."

'Do you think he would be mad?'

_He'd be fucking hard, probably figuratively and literally,_ Draco though, though he couldn't see Snape shagging anyone. "No."

'It is our second time doing it in his private quarters.'

"Hopefully not our last either. I like shagging in his rooms. I wonder what he thinks about it," Draco mused.

'He probably doesn't know _what_ to think. I bet he's still a virgin.'

Draco snorted. "I bet not. Even the most hideous Slytherin loses his or her virginity by fifth year."

Harry peered at him. 'And you?'

"Fourth year," Draco shrugged.

'With who?'

"Pansy. We did it after the Yule Ball."

'How was it?'

Draco raised his eyebrows at him. "So curious. It was OK, I suppose."

'How many boys have you shagged?'

There was a pause as Draco counted. "Four. Artemus Vorce, my Quidditch teacher, Jake Collins, Marcus Flint, and some bloke I met over the summer that I can't remember the name of."

Harry wrinkled his nose. 'Marcus Flint?'

"I know. He's not a looker, but he gives you mindblowing sex."

'And I don't?' Harry pouted.

"No. You just lay there whimpering and make me do all the work."

His mouth dropped open. 'I do not!'

"Yes you do."

'OK then, who was pushing most on our recent shag? That's right, me.'

"I hardly call moving your arse back and forth pushing," Draco drawled.

'You pompous git!' Harry looked in mock indignation at him.

"Shush. You should get some sleep."

'But it's barely 7!'

"Now, now Harry," Draco said patiently. "We wouldn't want you to lose your beauty sleep, would we? Merlin knows you could use some."

'I do NOT need beauty sleep!'

"Denial will get you nowhere," Draco said soothingly.

'I can't believe my own boyfriend would tell me that I needed beauty sleep.'

"I know. Aren't I unpredictable?" Draco asked proudly. "No more discussion now. Madame Pomfrey would kill you if she finds out you're not resting."

Harry sighed. 'I can't sleep.'

Draco spotted the Daily Prophet and snatched it off the table. "Here, I'll read to you.

_"How is Harry Potter Concerned?_

_"Speculations have arisen amongst witches and wizards all over Britain on how the infamous Boy-Who-Lived could possibly have to do with these tragic disappearances. As many know, Harry Potter has not spoken since the end of his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_"This afternoon, Titinus Aurelius was reported missing. His sister was the last person to see him three days ago. He worked on ancient spells and artefacts . The current experiment he was working on was confidential. The Magical World is panicking more each time a witch or wizard disappears._

_"We must wonder if Harry Potter knows what is happening to them and is too cowardly to tell or does not care for the lives of other witches and wizards. Whatever the case, our world must hope he resolves it soon before more people disapp--"_

Draco was interrupted by Harry's hand on his mouth. He peered down at desperate green orbs. He was holding Draco's arm so tight he could feel Harry's nails digging into his skin.

'No more.' His face was full of pain. I want that bastard to die, but I can't do anything about that.'

"Too much of a coward?"

He stuck his face in front of Draco, so close that Draco could count every one of his eyelashes. 'No. I don't want to put those I love in danger.' His eyes sparkling furiously, he turned away and picked up his discarded pants. He slipped them back on and stormed out of the door without looking back. The door was slammed so hard a jar fell off the shelf and crashed to the floor. The sound of breaking glass caused Draco to flinch slightly.

Snape came into the room, his face livid. "What the bloody hell is going on?" He spotted the broken jar and the bluish-green liquid on the floor. A sickly brown mole-like creature laid a few feet away, its foot twitching now and then. Snape quickly repaired the jar and placed the creature in it and filled the jar with more of the fluid from a large container. He placed it back on the shelf and turned to Draco who was staring into the fire.

"Pray that the Kadeere doesn't reawaken or there will be consequences to pay for the both of you. Now what happened?"

Draco sighed wearily. "I asked him what happened with Voldemort. He wouldn't tell. I called him names and he walked out and slammed the door."

Snape became disgusted. "I do not need the dramas of teenagers in my life. Just let him come to you. The boy has been mollycoddled for far too long. He needs to face the fact that his choices regarding the Dark Lord have an effect on the whole Wizarding World. Kindly leave now, Mr. Malfoy."

"Professor, could you give me some advice on something?"

"If I knew what it was," he sneered.

Draco was unperturbed by that expression that would scare so many. "Father came to visit me this morning. He knew what happened to Harry, but wouldn't tell me who did it. He wants me to try to persuade Terry Boot into joining Voldemort by 'any means necessary'."

"You must do as he says if you wish to continue as a spy."

"Is this my father's plan for me?" Draco asked softly. "To become a whore?"

Snape had nothing of comfort to say, not that he ever did, so he remained silent and let the Malfoy heir drown in his thoughts. The boy was being exposed to some of the things he had been told about throughout his life. Power was like an addiction to Lucius and he would go to any lengths for it.

Draco stood up and nodded once to Snape. "Goodnight, Professor." He left, still in deep contemplation.


	14. Admitting the Feeling

**Comments: **Thank you to all those who reviewed! You guys made my day. Well, as I said, this chapter is out sooner than chapter 13 was. Enjoy and happy reading. Don't forget to leave a comment and tell me what you think.

**Rating:** 17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 14: Admitting the Feeling**

0000000000

It was the following day near noon when Granger approached him again. Her mouth was pressed in a firm line, and she was taking quick, brisk strides to him.

"Malfoy, where's Harry?"

Draco looked down into brown eyes. "Why do you assume I know where he is at all times?"

Granger poked him in the chest, coincidentally where Weasley had poked him with his wand. "I am in no mood for games! He was supposed to be in the hospital wing, but he's gone. Ron and I have looked all over."

"Absolutely everywhere?"

Granger gave him a look of irritation. "We can only look so far in only two hours."

Draco leaned down and whispered conspiratorially. "I'll give you a clue. He's not with me."

He turned around and walked off before she could slap him. Harry was missing? He hadn't seen the Gryffindor since their fight. Where the hell had the boy gone now? Draco couldn't figue out how Harry could disappear like that without telling anyone. He could be killed or kidnapped by Death Eaters! He hoped the Gryffindor turned up soon. He was in no mood to play I Spy Harry.

00000

"Why does everyone keep asking me where Harry is?" Draco complained as he entered Snape's office for his evening lesson.

Snape looked up at the blond from his desk. The parchment in front of him was covered in red ink. _Dumb third year Hufflepuff,_ Draco thought absentmindedly.

"He hangs around you most," Snape said. He got up and proceeded to lock the cabinet. "He's probably somewhere that Dumbledore told him specifically not to go to. Disregarding the rules just like his father."

Draco made the wall appear for at least five seconds this time, but that was as long as he could keep it up. After an hour he left, exhausted.

Dinner was the usual affair. Draco noticed that Granger and Weasley were gone, though. Blaise asked where Harry was. Draco shrugged, remaining silent and concentrating on his salmon. The Slytherin told himself that Harry, Granger, and Weasley were all together at that oaf Hagrid's house. With that thought in mind, he finished and went to get ready for bed.

00000

It rained the next day. Harry never showed up for any classes. Granger and Weasley both looked worried and frightened. Whispers carried from ear to ear with different theories on what happend to the Boy-Who-Lived. Dumbledore seemed calm, though, beaming at everyone he came in contact with and striking up a light conversation. The Slytherins avoided him as much as possible.

Dumbledore was in Snape's quarters when Draco arrived for his lesson. He was sitting in one of the two armchairs Snape had near the fire, sipping tea and talking pleasantly to a scowling Snape.

"Hello, Draco," he smiled.

"Good evening, Headmaster," Draco replied, immediately suspicious as to why he was here.

"I just came by to see how well you're doing," Dumbledore said as if reading his thoughts.

"I can conjure the wall, but can't make it stay long enough to unlock the cabinet."

"You will improve with practice. Now let me see how you do."

Draco turned to the cabinet, concentrating on the lock. He pretended no one was watching and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and dredged up the memory of his father coming to his Quidditch practice to tell him to prostitute himself for Voldemort. The indignity! His temper flared. His father had turned into a mindless fool serving a half-blood, shaming the generations of pure-blooded Malfoys who would bow to no one.

The barrier did not appear, so Draco thought of early Saturday morning. He felt the utmost anger and loathing for Harry's raper who would dare to reduce Harry to such a vulnerable state. _The fucking bastard_, Draco thought furiously, seeing red. The red disappeared, and there stood the barrier. Draco rushed to push through it before it disappeared. He had just begun, when the wall disappeared.

"Damn," he muttered. He turned to Snape. "I had it and was about go through it, but I must have gotten too excited and it disappeared."

"Try again."

Five tries later, the lock gave an audible click. Draco smirked in triumph. He had finally done it!

Dumbledore clapped. "Very good, Mr. Malfoy."

"Do it again," Snape instructed. He locked the cabinet again.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not get the wall to stay long enough. Maybe it was because pushing through the barrier took a lot out of him and he was tired.

"That's enough for tonight," Snape said.

Draco nodded and left, hearing Snape's door close and lock behind him. He could hear the rain pound on the castle and the wind howling furiously. He spotted Terry Boot doing his nightly Prefect's round near the stairs leading upstairs to the Entrance Hall. He stopped to examine him.

_He's not bad-looking if you squint, _Draco thought. _Not nearly as gorgeous as myself, but, then, who is? _His ego assuring him that there was nobody, Draco walked up to the Ravenclaw.

"Boot," he said. What a terrifying surname.

He turned around to look at Draco, his face showing no disdain. Not every House hated the blond. The rivalry was just between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

"Hello, Malfoy," he said politely. "What are you doing up here?'

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Am I not allowed to go where I please?"

Boot looked flustered. "Of course you are."

"Then why do you ask?" Draco put on his most endearing look. "Do you not want me here?" _Oh Merlin, I hate this._

His cheeks turned red. "I don't care if you're here. Not as in _I _don't care," Boot was quick to add at Draco's wide-eyed look. "I meant as in I don't care..." he trailed off, turning a deep red.

_Little bird, caught in my trap_, Draco thought, not missing the irony. He had heard rumours that the Ravenclaw was gay. He hated flirting with him.

"Are you saying you like me?"

"No! I mean not as in like _like_. More as in like." He groaned. "Malfoy, will you stop that?"

"Stop what?" he asked innocently.

"Flirting with me."

"I'm not. I simply wanted to come and ask you if you would tutor me in Arithmancy. I heard you were one of the best at it."

Boot was clearly pleased. "When would you want to get together?"

Draco thought quickly. "How about everyday starting tomorrow at four? The old Potions classroom. Is that all right?'

Boot nodded. "Yes. Sounds good to me."

Draco gave him his heart-throbbing smirk. Well, that's what Blaise called it. "I'll be there." He turned and went up the Grand Staircase to the second floor. A glance into the dark night had him worried over Harry. He hadn't seen him since Saturday and today was monday. He had long since stopped deluding himself by thinking that Harry was at that giant's house. If Dumbledore didn't seem to be worried about Harry's disappearance, then he was safe. But that still didn't stop the worry from gnawing at him.

He leaned against the ledge of the window. The branches of the Whomping Willow was swinging furiously. Because of the wind or of its own accord, Draco didn't know. But the tree did seem to stop flailing its branches every now and then. He sighed and turned away from the window. His life had seemed so much easier and less worrisome before he had gotten himself involved with Harry.

He shook his head and left for the dungeons.

00000

Something cold and wet was holding his hand. He was sitting straight up with his wand pointed at whatever it was before he even realized what his body was doing. The weak light coming from a torch showed him Harry kneeling on the floor next to his bed, looking at him intently.

"Harry? Where the hell have you been?" Draco asked, ignoring the feeling of relief that Harry wasn't hurt. He set his wand carefully on the pillow next to him.

Harry clenched his hand tighter. 'I've been out.'

"Your hands are freezing cold," Draco said, loosening Harry's grip and pulling his own hand away to tuck under the covers. "Merlin, it's 2:30 in the morning."

Harry's eyes closed. 'I'm tired, so very tired.'

Draco had a feeling that Harry meant the kind of tired where it couldn't be cured by sleep. Dark circles were under the jade eyes, which were made more prominent by the dim lighting. He took Harry's hands in his and pulled him onto the bed. He shivered when his naked chest touched Harry's wet clothes.

"You need to get out of those clothes."

Harry stayed still as Draco undressed him. The boy had obviously been outside. What he had been doing out there, Draco did not know. He threw Harry's clothes on the floor, moving the bedsheets for the Gryffindor. Harry gratefully got under the covers, snuggling into the sheets that were warm from Draco's body heat. He curled himself against Draco as soon as Draco settled down next to him. Draco grabbed his wand and charmed the curtains shut.

"The Weasel and Granger were worried about you. Nice disappearing act, Potter."

Harry tucked his head under Draco's chin. Draco winced as his neck was exposed to Harry's cold skin.

'I needed time to think.'

"Have you figured out what you need to, then?"

Harry nodded, blinking slowly, his lashes tickling Draco's neck. 'I'm tired of not being able to do anything against Voldemort.'

"What are you planning to do?"

'I'm going to save my friends and family.'

"Family? As in Granger and the Weasel?"

'Yes. But you're my family, too.' Harry yawned.

Draco tensed. "What do you mean?"

'I mean that I love you.'

Draco's heart skipped a beat, and he unconsciously stopped breathing. Harry loved him? Never before had he ever had anyone tell him that he or she loved him. Not even his mum and dad had said it. The fact that his enemy-turned-lover was saying that he loved him was enough to confuse and bother him. He didn't know how to react or if he should do something. He had been taught well in everything except love. He didn't even know what it was or what it felt like.

"What do you mean, Potter?" he asked sharply.

But he didn't receive an answer. Harry was already fast asleep, his even breaths caressing Draco's skin. Draco was left pondering what love was. Was love when you cared about someone? Or was it when you worried about him practically every moment of the day? Was it when you wanted to spend all your time with that person? Or how you liked every flaw and perfection of him? Was it love when all he can think about is Harry? Was it a yes to all these questions? If it was, then Draco was in trouble.


	15. The Connection

**Comments: **Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I appreciate your comments, even if some of them are rather short, I still love them. It amuses me greatly when a reader expresses his or her feelings and opinions on Draco's action or anybody elses'. I regret to inform you that **Butterfly Kisses** is soon drawing to a close. Not to worry, I'm working on a new fic, hopefully to be posted as soon as **Butterfly Kisses** is done. Well, enjoy and tell me what you think about this story that has a rather slow moving plot.

**Rating:** 17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 15: The Connection**

Draco woke up to the beeping of his alarm. He blinked blearily and looked over to the warm bundle nestled tightly against his side. The Gryffindor's revelation to him last night had kept him up for a long time. Draco closed his eyes. It was amazing how an innocent-looking thing like Harry could cause him so much turmoil. He snorted and ran a hand through his hair. Damn him.

"Wake up, Harry," he said, shaking him none too gently.

Harry groaned and rolled onto his back.

"Potter, you sod, wake up," he said louder.

Harry opened his eyes slowly, turning his head slightly to meet Draco's gaze.

"You're going to be late for school."

Harry yawned. 'No I'm not.'

Draco pulled the blankets back, letting the cool air attack Harry's sleep warm skin.

'Hey!' Harry tried to pull the blankets back, shivering.

"Get out of my room and go back to that bloody tower of yours," Draco commanded. "I don't want to be late just because you were too lazy to get up."

Harry glared at him before getting up. Draco had a nice view of his gloriously naked arse as the black haired boy searched around for his clothes. He was most disappointed when Harry found his trousers. Sighing, Draco got up to take a shower.

'See you later.' Harry grabbed the rest of his things, swung his invisibility cloak over himself, and left.

Draco went to open his cabinet, pausing to bang his head on the door. "Damn you, Potter. Why do you always have to make things so difficult?"

Every time his eyes would pass over Terry Boot, he found the Ravenclaw turning red. He would raise an eyebrow and Boot would look away. By the time four o'clock rolled around, Draco was waiting in the old Potions classroom, his books and charts waiting in front of him. He didn't need tutoring for Arithmancy. He had the third best grade in the class.

Boot hurried in five minutes later. He dropped his bag on the table and emptied it out.

"Sorry," he said. "Professor McGonagall held me up for some Prefect business."

Draco waved a hand to a seat. "She annoys me."

Boot looked up at him from the other side of the table. "She's very fair."

Draco made a groan of doubt. "Well, I don't get this problem that we worked on in class earlier. Could you come over here and explain it to me? I've been trying to figure it out for the past half hour, but I just don't understand it."

Looking nervous, Boot moved to sit next to him on the bench. Draco leaned over in the pretense of grabbing his book, his body brushing against Boot's side. He showed him the problem and leaned close to the boy while he explained it to him. Boot kept stuttering and stopping a few times, but otherwise he was a pretty good tutor. Draco nodded every now and then and asked questions. Boot seemed happy to answer them.

"Oh! I understand now," Draco said, giving Boot a smile. "Thanks."

Boot gave him a small smile in return. "Sure. Just remember to always multiply the number that you subtracted in the beginning to the end result."

"What about this problem?"

An hour and a half later, they were done with the sheet of problems. As Draco reached for his parchment, Boot moved and kissed him. The boy quickly drew back in embarrassment at Draco's raised eyebrows.

"I'm so sorry," he muttered, getting up to start shoving his books and parchment into his bag.

Draco put a hand on his wrist, stopping his movements. "I'm not."

"You aren't?"

Draco shook his head. "No. I've been waiting for you to do that." He leaned in and closed the distance between them, his stomach wrenching. He closed his eyes to drown out the unfamiliar features and tried not to think how the lips beneath his had the wrong texture and was in the wrong shape.

He needed to talk to Dumbledore. He hoped that the old man hadn't changed his password. Thankfully, the gargoyle jumped aside. He stepped onto the revolving staircase and knocked on the door. Dumbledore told him to enter.

He was sitting behind his desk, an old tome laying before him. He gently closed the book and put it off to the side. "Hello, Mr. Malfoy. Was there something you wanted?"

"I need to speak to you about Harry."

Dumbledore offered him some tea and those horrid lemon drops that Draco was sure was going to drive one of them insane these days. He declined them.

"What are your concerns regarding him?" he asked, giving Draco an encouraging smile.

"It's not concern but curiosity. About his silence."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. An unsolved mystery to everyone but Voldemort and himself."

Draco gave him a look of surprise. He thought that the Headmaster would know since he tended to know about everything. But then if Dumbledore had known, then he would have put a stop to all of this. "You mean you don't know, Professor?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I know about as much as the rest of the world concerning Harry's silence."

He looked down in disappointment at his clasped hands. "You mean you don't know anything that could be useful to me? I just want to know what's going on."

Dumbledore was silent for a while. "Could I ask why you care so much?"

Draco looked up to meet the blue eyes. "Last night he came to me and told me that he was tired of not being able to do anything against Voldemort. He said that he was going to save his friends and family. He's going to do something stupid."

Dumbledore's face turned sombre. "Yes. Bearing a secret with the impossibility of sharing it with another living thing can be very stressful."

"Could you tell me all you know after Harry's capture?"

Dumbledore regarded him for a moment. "Do you love him, Mr. Malfoy?"

Silver eyes looked into twinkling blue. "I don't see how that's relevant to the question, Headmaster."

Dumbledore simply smiled. "When he came back to us after his capture, he was in bad shape. His legs were broken, the majority of his ribs cracked, he was bleeding profusely, and he had been forced to swallow a potion that was slowly destroying his organs. Professor Snape researched day and night to find a potion to reverse the effects. There was also a trace of some kind of spell that had been cast on him. An ancient and powerful spell. Not even the experts knew what it was. They are still trying to find it. He was in a coma for almost the whole summer. He awoke in the beginning of July. He was very confused, Mr. Malfoy. He wouldn't talk for days. Finally he told me that Voldemort must have shoved a Portkey into his hand while he was unconscious, since Voldemort was the only one that Harry had seen. He didn't say another word for the rest of the day.

"Mrs. Weasley and Miss Weasley went to the Order's Headquarters that day to clean. They found your former Professor Lupin in the library on the floor, dead. The mediwitch said that he had suffered very severely before he had died. His nerves burned and the blood carried to his heart was contaminated with poison that ate away his heart. Pressure built inside his heart until it literally exploded.

"When we heard of this, Harry's magic immediately went out of control, not unlike that display he had in the Gryffindor Tower. We had no choice but to let him continue until his wild magic was too weak to continue. Afterwards, he never spoke again."

"So Remus Lupin's death stopped Harry from talking."

_'I didn't mean for him to get killed.'_

"It would seem so."

"But why? He was never like this when Sirius Black died."

"I do not know why."

"Was there any evidence that Professor Lupin had been poisoned?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No. There was no indication whatsoever that pointed to the fact that Professor Lupin had swallowed or been injected with any poison. None of the medical staff that I hired could point out the location from which the poison came."

"So it's like the poison appeared out of no where?"

"Exactly."

"Did somebody curse him?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No traces of magic, besides that of his, could be found."

"What did the mediwitches and mediwizards find?"

"He was perfectly healthy, despite being a werewolf. Poison was found in the veins, but the arteries and capillaries contained none. It seemed that the poison carried to the heart remained in the heart. His nerves were heavily inflamed. His body did not show a single sign of damage. Only his insides."

Something occurred to him. "Could you tell me the approximate time when Harry first talked and when Remus Lupin died?"

"Harry began talking about two o'clock in the afternoon. The mediwitch said Remus Lupin died between two and three o'clock."

Draco's head was spinning. He thanked him and left Dumbledore's office to go back to his dorm. Was it all just one big coincidence with Harry's silence and Remus Lupin's death, or were they connected? And if they were, how were they connected? What caused the inflammation of Lupin's nerves? It just didn't make any sense. And where did the poison come from? Did Harry unknowingly cause the death of Remus Lupin somehow? And if he did, how?

Draco knew that he had to get some of this out of his head or he would go mad. He grabbed a piece of parchment and his writing supplies from his desk and began writing all the questions that popped into his head. The only person who could solve all of this was Harry. He needed to talk to him. He was determined to get some answers from the Gryffindor.

As Draco had hoped, Harry came into his dorm later that night. He shrugged off his Invisibility Cloak once he was in the confines of Draco's bed curtains. He was already in his oversized pajamas and climbed into bed next to Draco, who was laying on his stomach and looking over his list of questions and possible answers that he had come up with.

'What are you doing?' Harry kissed him on his bare shoulder, since he hadn't bothered to put a shirt on. He laid down on his stomach next to the blond.

"Reading."

'Reading what?' He rested his head on Draco's shoulder.

Draco shrugged and rolled over onto his back. Harry smiled when he saw Draco's nipples. With a devilish grin, he bent his head and took one in his mouth. Draco fought to keep down his moan. He needed to stay focused and not let Harry distract him. His body, however, was eager to let itself get distracted by Harry. His nipple, once it reappeared from Harry's mouth, was glistening with spit. It was shades darker than its original colour, the bud straining upwards as if to seek Harry's mouth. Harry was too busy lavishing attention on the other nipple with his mouth, so he let his fingers pinch and tease it.

"Harry," Draco protested, deciding not to pay attention to his now-hardened cock.

'Hmm?'

"Don't you want to know what I'm reading?"

Harry gave the nipple one last slow lick with his tongue before crossing his arms on Draco's chest, and resting his chin on them. 'Yes.'

"Why don't you take a look?"

Harry took the parchment and scanned it. His face became more pale with every passing second. His hands began to shake, and Draco could feel his body trembling. Harry looked up at him angrily.

'Where did you get all this information?'

Draco plucked the paper out of Harry's hand, the parchment tearing from Harry's firm grip. "Places."

'Tell me!'

Draco cast a Silencing Charm around his bed, having a feeling that there would soon be a shouting match. "Why?"

'I have a right to know.'

"Well, the rest of the Wizarding World has a right to know why witches and wizards keep disappearing. Do you know how many are gone right now? Six people. One disappears every day, never to be seen again."

'Well, you should know what happens to them! You're the Death Eater, aren't you?' There was a look of disgust on Harry's face.

Draco narrowed his eyes at him. "You-Know-Who does not share all his information with his Death Eaters. No one knows what happens to those witches and wizards. But you do, don't you?"

'You already know the answer to that.'

Draco waved the parchment in front of Harry's face. "What the fuck is going on? Remus Lupin died because of you, didn't he? How did he die, Harry? How is it that Remus Lupin died around the same time you told Dumbledore about You-Know-Who?"

Harry's eyes were shining with angry tears, emotions swirling in the green depths.

"Is that why you've refused to speak?"

Harry's lower lip began to quiver. Draco didn't like seeing him like this, but he needed to stop Voldemort. He was tired of this war.

"Answer me!"

Harry moved to get off the bed. Draco latched onto his wrist. Harry futiley tried to loosen his grip.

'Let go of me!'

"No," Draco said fiercely. "Not until you tell me how Remus Lupin's death concerns you. And why the fuck won't you speak? Six people have disappeared. All you do is stand by and watch as You-Know-Who takes them one by one. You know how to stop him, but you won't tell anyone. Does the death of six strangers amount to that of one of your loved ones? Does it, Harry?" Draco gave him a hard shake. "You are no saviour of the Wizarding World. You are being selfish about this."

'Don't you dare tell me that! Don't you bloody dare!' Harry's tears were flowing, but he made no move to wipe them away. 'You don't know what you're talking about! Do you know how hard it is for me not to do anything? I'm trying, alright, Draco? I'm trying to do something about this, but I don't know what!'

"I could help you if you would just tell me!"

'I can't. You know I can't.'

"Why the fuck not?" Draco asked in fury.

'I would if I could!'

"What's stopping you, Potter?"

Harry flinched when Draco spat out his surname. 'Because I just can't!'

"When are you planning on telling someone how to stop him? When he has control over the whole Wizarding World? Or when he's too powerful to stop?"

Harry's eyes were pleading with him. 'I would gladly tell you if I could, Draco. I would. But I love you, and I don't want you to get hurt because of this. I've lived for the Wizarding World, doing everything they ask of me. All I want in return is you.' Harry collapsed and buried his face in Draco's chest. 'I don't want you taken away from me. I don't want to risk you.'

Draco briefly closed his eyes. "Stop saying that you love me. We're teenagers. We don't know what love is." He was lying through his teeth.

'That's another thing I'm an exception to.'

Draco's breath seized up in his lungs. He took a deep breath, and his breathing returned to normal. "Just give me a clue."

Harry took the parchment from Draco's fingers and pointed to a question. _Coincidence between Harry's silence and Lupin's death, or connected?_ 'It's not a coincidence.'


	16. Letter From Home

**Comments: **Thanks to everyone who have shown me support! I love you all!

**Rating:** 17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 16: Letter From Home**

Draco tensed imperceptibly when he saw his father's eagle owl. It soared over the heads of the other Slytherins before landing gracefully beside him. Draco untied the letter from its leg. Immediately he could feel the heavy protection spells on it. _It must be one bloody important letter_, he thought. He quickly excused himself and went outside. He broke open the maroon seal, stamped with the Malfoy crest, and took out the expensive parchment.

_Draco,_

_The Dark Lord is getting impatient. Have you convinced Terry Boot to our side? If you have not, I suggest you hasten as much as possible without revealing yourself. The Dark Lord keeps wanting to summon you. I have thus far been successful in persuading him to give you one more day. _

_A Portkey has been arranged for you. It will activate itself tomorrow at noon. I have already informed Dumbledore that you will not be coming back to finish your schooling. Be sure that you bring everything that is yours. The Dark Lord wishes to see Terry Boot with you when you come, preferably supporting our side. If not, I will send another Portkey, along with yours, later this evening._

_Your relationship with Harry Potter must continue. I'm sure you are more than capable of feeding him a story about how you're going against your will. It is imperative that he trusts you. The Dark Lord has plans for him and they will not go through if Harry Potter does not trust you._

_Your father,_

_Lucius_

Draco watched angrily as the letter burned itself. He kicked the ashes into the bushes. He was expected to leave tomorrow and not come back? Why now? Couldn't it have waited?

"Fuck you, Lucius, and fuck you, too, Voldemort," Draco spat out. His fist erupted in pain when he slammed it into the wall. He was doomed. If Dumbledore's side depended on him to do this, then they were going to be disappointed. He was only seventeen. He couldn't do this.

_Yes, you can,_ the Malfoy in him said firmly. _Don't shame the Malfoy name and say that you can't do something. It's not in our blood._ _We can do fucking anything._

Draco closed his eyes briefly. He had to convert Boot tonight or there would be some major consequences for him if he didn't. Voldemort did not like working with unwilling followers. He would do anything to turn Boot.

And Harry. Draco rubbed his eyes. His Harry. He couldn't do what Lucius had asked. He couldn't keep the relationship going with Harry. He loved him and refused to use him in that way. Screw Voldemort and Lucius. They could have him, but they would never lay a finger on Harry. And fuck them if they thought otherwise. Draco was going to see to it that this war ended and soon.

Draco found Granger, as he had predicted, in the library during the lunch hour. She was sitting alone in the back with stacks of books on either side of her. If anybody was able to help him, it was her. Granger was known for her know-it-all attitude and her constant studying. It was a wonder she didn't rot with these books.

"Granger," Draco said, taking a seat across from her.

She looked warily at him, closing her book and setting it off to the side. "Malfoy."

"Why do you bother to read all of these? Your brain doesn't remember everything."

"It will remember what it will. Besides, I'm studying for NEWTs."

"Of course. Only you would start studying seven months beforehand."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I know you didn't come here to discuss my studying habits. What is it that you want, Malfoy?"

He leaned back in his chair and examined her until she fidgeted uncomfortably. He smirked in satisfaction. "I want a lot of things, Granger."

"You know what I mean."

"Well, you see, a little bird delivered a message to me today. I'm leaving this place tomorrow and never coming back."

"Oh? And what does this have to do with me?" Realization dawned on her face. "Don't tell me you're too much of a coward to break up with Harry yourself. Let me tell you, Malfoy, that I refuse to break the news to him and see the look on his face."

Draco waved a hand dismissively. "Don't jump to conclusions, Granger. I'll handle that myself. Since you're famous for having memorized the whole library, you could be useful to me."

"I don't want to be useful to you," Granger protested.

"Even if it concerns Harry?"

"Is he alright?" Granger asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes, he's fine, in a manner of speaking. You're a curious person by nature, Granger. Tell me, have you tried to figure out why Harry won't talk?"

She nodded, looking interested. "Yes. All I know is that it has something to do with You-Know-Who."

"I know much more than that."

She looked doubtful.

"I know for a fact that Remus Lupin died around the same time that Harry told Dumbledore about how he had escaped the Dark Lord. After he found out that Lupin had died, Harry never spoke again. The other day he told me that there was a connection between the two and that it just wasn't a coincidence."

"That must be why he always looks so guilty and sad when somebody mentions Professor Lupin," Granger said.

"Dumbledore told me that there was a trace of an ancient and powerful spell on Harry when he came back from the Dark Lord. Nobody has the slightest clue what spell it is. What I'm thinking is that this spell has something to do with Harry's silence."

"Yes," she agreed, "but _what_?"

"I'm not sure. Dumbledore tells me that not even the experts know. That's where you come in. Are you up to a challenge, Granger?"

"Yes, but how are we to figure out the spell if even the experts can't? Hogwarts has a limited library. It's not exactly full of books on ancient spells."

"Sometimes fresh minds are needed," Draco said. "Since I'm leaving tomorrow, I won't be here to research as well. Malfoy Manor has an extensive library. Lucius collects rare books. Perhaps I'll be able to find something. I'll owl you the books I get done reading. Maybe you'll find something that I didn't, though I doubt it. But while you're here, find all the books you can on curses that forbids someone from talking. Owl me your results, and I'll owl you mine."

She nodded. "I already wrote some things down."

"The sooner we figure out why that idiot won't talk, the sooner the war will be able to end."

She looked at him carefully. "Are you planning to break up with him before you leave?"

He gave her a bitter smile. "I'm planning on it."

"He'll be heartbroken, you know that, don't you?"

Of course he knew that. He saw it every time he closed his eyes. "Risks must be taken, Granger. I don't exactly have time to talk to him about it. He'll probably argue with me. I have many things to do before I go." A plan suddenly popped into his head. Merlin, it was going to hurt Harry, but it was the quickest and surest way. "Tell him to go to the old Potions classroom at five today."

She gave him a suspicious look. "Why?"

The clock chimed, signaling the end of lunch. He got up. "Just tell him, Granger." He turned to leave, but was stopped by her voice.

"Malfoy? Good luck and be careful. As much as I don't like you, I couldn't imagine the world without your arrogant self."

Draco walked out the doors.

Seducing Boot had been all too easy. A loosened silver and green tie and undone buttons and Boot was drooling. He had to hand it to the Ravenclaw, he had good control. Draco could see how much Boot wanted to attack him, but he kept his composure. After the tenth 'accidental' brush to Boot's thigh, the boy finally pounced on him.

Clothes were quickly discarded. Hands, teeth, and lips were everywhere. Chairs fell to the floor with a loud clatter. Boot was much too eager for Draco's taste. He gave sloppy head and was too enthusiastic with giving Draco painful bites all over his torso. Draco ended up taking Boot on his hands and knees. The boy screamed and wailed in pleasure. Draco winced as his eardrums rang. He wished he could cast a Silencing Charm on the fool.

The door to the classroom opened. Draco was grunting as he drove into the boy kneeling before him. He knew who was at the door. He had been careful in maneuvering them so that whoever should enter the room would have a perfect side view. Boot sounded as if his voice would be very hoarse after this ordeal. Draco glanced over at the door and his blood froze at the look on Harry's face.

The utter loss, desolate, and heartbroken look on his face was the most horrible sight Draco had ever seen. His eyes were full of disbelief behind his glasses, and his lips were trembling. Green eyes met grey and it was all Draco could do to keep himself from shattering. Then rage took over Harry and he strode into the room and pushed Draco. Boot, who hadn't noticed that Harry had been in the room, yelped in surprise when Draco suddenly pulled out of his body. Draco looked up at Harry from the floor, noting the blazing green fire.

Harry's mouth was opening and closing, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "How could you?"

The voice was so soft and rough that Draco was sure that he had been imagining it. But one look at Boot's shocked face and he knew that he wasn't. Draco's mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. Harry's expression suddenly changed. He franticly looked Draco over and stood there for a moment, his eyes never ceasing their roaming of Draco's body. Then he turned around and fled from the room.

Draco felt numb. Harry had just talked for the first time in months. It seemed unbelievable. He couldn't move, he didn't want to move.

"Draco?" Boot touched his shoulder lightly. "What was Harry Potter doing here?"

Draco shook himself mentally. There would be another time to dwell on his thoughts. He had things to do now. "Wanting a show, I suppose," he drawled. "Should we finish what we were doing?"

It was going to take quite a lot to make himself fuck Boot, but he would do it.

They were laying there together, Boot running a finger up and down his chest. Draco had been so distracted that he had barely felt his climax.

"Do you want to come home with me?" Draco asked.

"Home? Isn't it a little too soon?"

Draco shook his head. "No. Look, Terry, I've liked you for a very long time. My father asked me to come home tomorrow and I wanted to bring you along with me and introduce you to my family. They'll love you."

He hesitated. "But tomorrow? It's a school day."

"I know. The professors will send along course work while we're at the Manor. My father has already hired us a tutor."

"How long are we staying there?"

"I'm not sure. But you'll like it there, I promise."

"I'm not sure, Draco."

"My family really wants to meet you. I've been telling them all about you." Draco forced a somewhat bashful smile on his face. "They're getting tired of my letters, because they're all about you."

Boot glowed in pleasure. "Really?"

Draco nodded. He rolled over on top of the boy, leaning down to whisper in his ear. "I even told them that I wanted to marry you some day."

His mouth parted in astonishment. "Really?"

Draco bent down and kissed him passionately. "Really. I think I've fallen in love with you. Please come home with me. You trust me, don't you, love?"

"Draco, I... I don't know. Everything's happening so fast."

"You love me, don't you?" Draco asked, his eyes imploring.

Boot smiled softly at him. "Of course. I have since the beginning of the year. You always seemed so distracted, though, so I never approached you."

"You should have. It would have saved a lot of time. I just want you to come home with me, Terry. I want my parents' blessing so we can get married later." Draco trailed his lips across his forehead. "Please?"

Boot clutched at his arms and looked up at him. The fool was falling for him hook, line, and sinker. "Yes, Draco, I trust you. I'll come home with you."

"Good. We're leaving tomorrow at noon."

Boot nodded. He shifted his hips against Draco's. "Make love to me again."

Draco buried his face in Boot's neck so the boy wouldn't see the look of anguish in his eyes. He didn't want to hear those words coming out of those lips. He wanted someone else to utter them.

The Portkey turned out to be a statue of a raven. To impress Boot, Draco knew. For some odd reason, most of the Gryffindors were missing from the table. Now that he looked, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape were gone as well. His grip on his fork suddenly tightened. Oh Merlin, why hadn't he thought of it before? Harry had talked, which meant something had happened. That was why he had been examining Draco before he ran from the room.

Blaise plopped down beside him, looking grim.

"Have you heard what they've been saying?" he asked.

It took a while for Draco to process what he had said. "What?"

"They said that somebody died in Gryffindor. The younger Gryffindors have been talking among each other. They said that they heard screaming from the seventh year boys' dormitory. Draco? Draco, what's the matter with you? Do you have a headache or something?"

Draco dazedly nodded and left the table to go to his dorm.


	17. To Survival

**Comments: **So sorry for making some of you cry. I'm a sadist at heart. And yes, **Svonnah-La-Fay**, I do have some 'all-powerful awesome plan as to why Draco broke up with Harry like that. In fact, you'll find out in this chapter!

**Rating:** 17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 17: To Survival**

00000

Dumbledore did not have the usual twinkle in his eyes. The wrinkles on his face were more pronounced, his mouth twisted down into a sad smile when he saw him.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy."

"Good evening, Headmaster," Draco replied, taking a seat.

"You have received a letter from your father? You must know, Draco, that I ask nothing of you. You can drop this mission immediately and go into hiding. You will always have that option. Never think that I forced you into anything."

"Yes, Headmaster." Draco swallowed. "Sir, I have something to tell you."

Dumbledore smiled kindly at him. "Of course, my dear boy."

"Whoever died in Gryffindor, it was my fault."

"Your fault? How so?"

"My father, in the letter that he sent me, told me to keep the relationship that I had with Harry going. He said that the Dark Lord had plans for Harry that required him to trust me. I had to protect him, Professor. I couldn't let them use Harry like that. So I wanted him to see me with another, and he spoke then. It was my fault, sir." Draco felt guilty. He had killed someone. One of Harry's friends, no doubt. He could never forgive himself for causing him such grief.

"The intention of keeping Harry safe was selfless, Draco, but I cannot say that the means by which you went through to carry it out was wise. But then, I don't think anyone would have thought that Harry would say something about it, am I correct?"

Draco nodded. "If I had known, sir, I would have never gone through with it."

"But why did you decide to break up with him like that?"

"I know this sounds stupid and selfish, but I had a lot to do before I left for the Manor. I didn't have time to talk to him, because he would argue with me." _And I'm too much of a coward to talk to him face to face. I'm too much of a coward for not wanting to see the look on his face, like the one he gave me when he saw me with Boot._

Dumbledore looked as if he knew that there was more to it than Draco was telling him.

"You must know that destroying yourself over an accident will solve nothing, don't you, Draco? It was an accident, thus it was not your fault. Do not blame yourself. I know you must feel terrible beyond words, and you will continue to do so, but you will eventually feel less guilty about it. You shouldn't even feel guilty about it in the first place. You didn't know that Harry would speak. I don't think Harry even knew that he was going to speak. It was neither one of you boys' fault. Accidents will happen, regardless of how horrible they are."

"I know, sir," Draco replied. He met the blue eyes. "I'm bringing Terry Boot along with me. I'll try to keep him safe, Professor," Draco said.

"I know you will, Draco."

Draco looked away from the total confident look Dumbledore had in his eyes.

"Be cautious. If you ever feel like it's getting too dangerous and you need to get out, use this pendant. Hold it in your hand and say 'Hogwarts' and you'll be transported here. It only works once, and it will only carry two people."

Draco accepted the bronze and sapphire pendant from him. He carefully slid it into his pocket and stood up. "Thank you, Headmaster. I'll owl you as often as I can."

Dumbledore nodded, his sad smile on his face again. "Be cautious, my boy. Good-bye."

Draco paused. "Professor? Who died?"

Dumbledore gazed into his eyes. "Mr. Ronald Weasley."

00000

"You're going _where_!" Blaise exclaimed.

"Zabini," Draco said sharply. "Shh."

Blaise repeated his question in a softer voice.

"To the Manor. I don't have much of a choice. I got to go and spy."

"That's fucking dangerous, Draco! Especially when you're surrounded by Death Eaters all day every day at all hours."

"Really, Zabini," Draco drawled, folding his clothes neatly and putting them in his trunk, "I wouldn't have known that without you pointing it out to me."

"Well, thank the gods you have me, then," he replied, sitting down on Draco's bed. "Do you need my lucky pillowcase?"

Draco snorted. "I wouldn't dream of depriving you of that." He closed his trunk and looked around the room. It all seemed bare without his belongings. He realized that he would really miss Hogwarts.

"And what about Harry?"

Draco stilled his trembling hand. "He is taken care of."

"Taken care of?" Blaise echoed.

"Taken care of," Draco said shortly. He laid down on his bed. "Now go away. I need some sleep." Just as he was closing his eyes, Blaise called his name. "What?" he asked irritably, sitting up.

"Someone's here to see you."

Draco felt his stomach clench. It couldn't possibly be Harry, could it? He wanted to see the other boy, if only for a moment, before he left. Draco got up off the bed and went out of the Slytherin Common Room. Once out in the hall, he saw Terry Boot looking nervously around him.

"What are you doing down here?"

Boot gave him a small smile. "I just wanted to say good-night."

Draco stopped himself from sighing in exasperation. He was disappointed that it wasn't Harry. He wanted to do anything he could to make up for Ron's death, but he knew it wasn't possible. "Oh, well good-night, then," he said.

Boot kissed him slowly, his tongue dipping in and out of Draco's mouth. "I wanted you to know that I'm excited about visiting your family," he murmured against his lips. "I hope I won't disappoint you."

"You won't. They'll love you, almost as much as I do," Draco said, pulling gently away from the kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded. "Good-night, Draco." He turned and walked away.

Draco leaned against the wall, wiping Boot's taste off his lips. It was amazing how good he could act.

00000

The majority of the Gryffindors were missing the next morning from the Great Hall. Professor Dumbledore solemnly announced Weasley's death. The whole Hall suddenly looked tearful. Draco knew what they were mourning for. It wasn't for the Weasley, himself. He hadn't been popular with the students. Rather, they were mourning the fact that the Golden Trio no longer existed. He gave Boot a charming smile when the Ravenclaw looked over to him.

"How Slytherin of you to do anything to protect Harry," Blaise said next to him. The boy had been unusually quiet ever since Draco had told him that he was leaving.

"This has nothing to do with him," Draco lied.

Blaise went on as if Draco had never even said anything. "That's what we're known for, isn't it? Great ambition. Going to any lengths to get what we want. No wonder why most Slytherins end up dead, imprisoned, or corrupted."

"I hope you're not categorizing me as 'most Slytherins', Zabini. I'm one of a kind," Draco said lightly. Blaise being serious was a little daunting.

"Yes, I agree."

"Besides," Draco said, "I'm only doing this to spite you. I live to annoy you. You know, great ambition and all that crock."

Blaise looked at him from the corner of his eye, a lopsided smile on his face. "You're an evil mastermind, Draco Malfoy."

"Could you expect anything less from me?" Draco asked arrogantly, glad that he had broken through Blaise's sombre disposition. "Evil masterminds, like myself, will survive anything and everything. I will kick anybody's arse that gets in my way, because I'm Draco Malfoy." It was the only way he could reassure Blaise that he would be fine without saying it outright.

"Better hope that a girl doesn't get in your way, then," Blaise snorted. "I remember Goyle telling me that Granger sure socked you one in third year."

Blaise's first class was about to begin soon. Draco groaned. "Could you not bring that up?"

Blaise grinned as he got up from the table, grabbing his bag. There was a hint of concern in his eyes as he gazed at Draco. "We'll continue the conversation when I see you again."

Draco nodded and watched as Blaise exited the doors. He spent the rest of the day going from teacher to teacher to tell them to send the assignments to Malfoy Manor. The Gryffindors attended their classes, but they looked forlorn. He felt his heart thud painfully when he didn't spot Harry anywhere. Feeling pathetic, he went and gathered his things and moved them to the Entrance Hall.

Boot showed up five minutes before noon. He was dragging his trunk and owl along. He spotted Draco and his face lit up. _Poor kid_, Draco thought. _He never had a chance with me. Innocent little Ravenclaw._

"Draco!" he beamed. "I had to say good-bye to everyone."

"That's alright. I'm sure they'll miss you horribly, love."

Boot sighed and sat down on his trunk. "It's awful that Ron Weasley died. I didn't know him very well, but everyone is just so depressed about it. Hermione Granger must be devastated. They were going out, you know. I heard rumours that they had planned to marry after graduation. Could you possibly imagine having the love of your life dying?" He sighed again and met Draco's eyes. "I would be the same way if you ever died, Draco."

"I know."

"I saw all the Weasleys going up to the Gryffindor tower. They looked _dreadful_. I feel so sorry for them." Boot reached over and buried his face in Draco's chest.

Draco rubbed his back in what he hoped was a soothing manner. "I know you do, darling." He checked the watch he kept in his trunk. "The Portkey's going to activate in thirty seconds."

They stood up and gathered their things. Draco pulled out the statue and held it out to Boot. Boot, of course, was impressed and grasped it. Draco looked around the hall one last time, his eyes lingering on the stairs leading up. Stairs that would lead up to Harry. He closed his eyes and felt the tug of the Portkey.

He gracefully landed, shaking his head slightly when Boot stumbled. They were in the Manor's huge Entrance Hall. The Manor had the outer appearance of a medieval castle, while on the inside it was richly decorated with the most recent and expensive furniture and what not. It was an expansive castle, and one could easily get lost if one didn't have a guide.

"Draco," his father greeted him, looking impeccable as usual. "This must be Terry Boot."

Boot offered Lucius a hand to shake. "Hello, Mr. Malfoy. I'm so pleased to meet you."

Lucius inclined his head. "Likewise, Mr. Boot. My wife sends her condolences that she could not welcome you to our home. She is in Austria visiting some of her relatives."

Boot smiled. "That's alright."

"I hope you two haven't had lunch, yet. The house elves are just serving lunch. Come and have some. I'll have the house elves bring your things up to your rooms."

Draco followed his father into the dining room. Boot was trying to look everywhere at once, his eyes practically turning a full circle in their sockets. Draco sat himself opposite Lucius, the long table now magically shortened. Boot sat down next to him, his eyes taking in the fine cutlery.

Lucius conversed politely with Boot about his studies throughout lunch. Draco was left, gratefully, out of their conversation and concentrated on swallowing his food, which proved quite a feat since his stomach was in knots. Thoughts were whirling through his head, most of them too fast to grasp on to. He needed to do this. He had to. Survival had now become his number one purpose. He also had Boot to protect.

Draco picked up his glass of wine and took a drink, secretly toasting his acting skills, espionage, and survival.


	18. Hanging on the Edge

**Comments: **You guys couldn't possibly understand how much your support means to me. I want to point out, as people _still_ keep emailing me, the unedited chapters can be found on my LJ. The address to my LJ is on my profile page.

**Rating:** 17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 18: Hanging on the Edge**

OoOoOoOo

Draco's body was weak with fatigue, but he kept himself upright. The circle of Death Eaters around him were watching him expectantly behind their white masks. Voldemort was standing a few metres away from him, his red eyes never leaving Draco's face. Draco waved his wand and watched as the now familiar green lights enveloped the sobbing and shrieking Muggle child at his feet and silenced her.

Voldemort walked up to him, stepping over the girl. "Well done, Draco. Your performance in the raid and capture of Muggles for our entertainment was well appreciated, I'm sure, by your fellow Death Eaters."

"Thank you, my Lord," Draco bowed. Voldemort had sent him and a dozen Death Eaters to a small Muggle village. Draco had tried to save as many Muggles as he could when the other Death Eaters were busy setting the houses on fire with women, men, and children screaming inside. He hadn't meant to bring the little girl with him. MacNair had seen him before he could attempt to hide the girl. With the village blazing, the Death Eaters grabbed as many Muggles as they could and Apparated them to Voldemort. Draco had counted fifteen Muggles.

"You have quite a talent for the Pigorius Curse." Voldemort observed a dead woman with her entrails surrounding her. "That one was quite a screamer, wasn't she?"

Draco smiled. "I know you like them that way, my Lord."

Voldemort chuckled coldly. "You please me very much."

"Thank you, my Lord."

"This meeting is over. I will be most displeased if any one of you gets caught and exposed," Voldemort hissed. "No spies of mine shall be proven as incompetent as that Muggle-loving fool's."

Draco Apparated to the gates of the Manor, his father close behind him. Lucius had taught him to Apparate.

"You did very well tonight, Draco," Lucius said. He put an arm around his shoulders. "I'm proud of you."

The rest of the walk up to the Manor was silent. Once in, they went their separate way to their bedrooms. The fireplace in Draco's room provided the only light. He stumbled to the bathroom and turned on the bathtub and filled it with hot, steamy water.

"Draco?" a sleepy voice asked from the doorway. "Did you just get home?"

Draco turned around and regarded Boot in his blue pajamas. He had grown a little tolerant of the boy over the past month since they had arrived at the Manor. "Yes. Did I wake you?"

Boot yawned. "Yes, but that's alright. I was waiting up for you anyway. I must have fallen asleep. What time is it?"

"A little past three. You should go back to bed." Draco stripped off his bloodied robes and took off his pants. The hot water felt so incredibly good. He scrubbed himself raw before he relaxed.

Boot climbed in, his cock already hard, and straddled Draco's lap. He leaned down and gave him a long kiss, his fingers stroking Draco's chest. Draco responded, eager to distract himself, as he always was, from thoughts of how many people he had tortured and killed since he came home.

"He didn't torture you again, did he?" Boot asked anxiously, pulling away to look into his eyes.

Draco shook his head. "No. You shouldn't worry about such things, Terry. You're safe here."

Boot nodded and resumed kissing him. It was riddiculous how much trust the Ravenclaw had in him. Every time he kissed him or they fucked, Draco saw Harry's face. But he knew that he was doomed. Harry would never forgive him for what he had done, and now he was paying for his actions. He had screwed up his chance of being with Harry, but this was war and it had been necessary. Maybe after the war ended, if they both survived, he could start trying to make it up to him.

"I love you, Draco," Boot murmured against his throat. He reached down and began to stroke him to completion. Draco mimicked him, and they were soon coming, their gasps and moans swallowed by each other's mouths. Boot held up his hand, the emerald engagement ring glinting off his finger. Draco had proposed to him yesterday. He needed Boot to think that he loved him so that he would stay until Voldemort decided he no longer needed him. So far, Draco had lightly suggested that Boot start examining the library to see if there was anything he would like to read. He knew that Boot spent most of his days in the library, so if there was something Draco needed to know, Boot would know which book or books it was in.

"I love you, too," Draco murmured absentmindedly. It was strange how Boot made him say it so much, yet he could never get used to saying them.

"I would ask you about your night, but..." his gaze drifted to Draco's black robes. He saw the dark spots where the blood was. He knew better than to ask what happened in Death Eater meetings.

Draco smiled slightly. "Nothing new, really."

He sighed. "Why do you work for him, Draco? He's evil."

"I know he is. It's just family loyalty, Terry. It's part of the Malfoy line. We're known for our loyalty to our family. I'll follow where ever my father leads me," he lied. It was true about the loyalty part, but his last sentence was far from the truth. Malfoys were loyal to their family, but to their ancestors as well. Their ancestors would have been ashamed to see Lucius drag the name through the dirt.

He let Boot help him out of the bathtub and dry him off. He led him to the bed and curled around Draco once they were under the covers. Draco waited for Boot to fall asleep before slipping from the boy's grasp. He padded to the antique vase sitting on his mantle. A touch of his fingers and a whispered spell and the vase disappeared to be replaced by a book. He took it and went to sit down at his desk, his hand reaching for his quill. He had decided to start writing when everything became too much.

_December 6, 1997_

_Malfoy Manor_

_5:38 AM_

_Dear Harry,_

_It's hard to keep up a facade. Sometimes it's easy, but other times it's not, especially when I'm around you. You're so innocent in your own way, and you force everyone around you to not hide behind masks of deception. You don't know how infuriating it is for me when you're like that. All my life I've been taught to not show my emotions, but that's all I want to do when you're touching me and loving me._

_Today I killed more people. One of them included a little girl. I tried to get her away, Harry, I really did, but I couldn't do it in time. I saved as many as I could. They caught fifteen of them, though. Their bodies were littering our meeting site. Voldemort told me to cast the Pigorius Curse on my victims. Lucius taught it to me. He's been giving me lessons in the Dark Arts. The Pigorius Curse is one of the worst. It rips the stomach open and the insides come out. The victim can feel everything. It's worse than the Cruciatus Curse. At least with the Cruciatus Curse the pain will lessen greatly when the caster stops. With the Pigorius Curse, the pain will continue on, and the Curse is irreversible, that's why it's worse. _

_I wish I could tell you that Boot means nothing to me. I only did what I did, because I didn't want to see you in pain. What Boot and I have now is nothing more than manipulation. I'm only doing what I am to him, because I need to keep him safe. He's a Ravenclaw, and if I told him about the Order and that I'm a spy, Voldemort could easily extract that information from him. He's safe in his ignorance. _

_Weasley was always a pain in my arse, but I never wished him dead. At the mere sight or mention of him, I wanted to hex him. You think it's because of my animosity towards the Weasleys shaming the Pureblood lines, don't you? It's a part of it, but I mostly annoyed him because I wanted to get to you. Weasley and Granger never meant much to me until they became your best friends. I guess I was jealous that you would reject me, a Malfoy, for Weasley. I hated you so very much for it. _

_Somehow along the line, my feelings began to change. I don't know when it was. It was so subtle and gradual that I never realized it until I began to like and then love you. I fell so deeply in love with you. I love the way your eyes are so unfocused in the mornings and how much I have to shout before you would wake up. I love the way we would bicker and how much I could make you moan. I love that I know your body so well. I know how to make you gasp, moan, whimper, and the whole thesaurus of sounds that I love hearing from you. _

_Look at me, being all sentimental. It just makes me glad you'll never read any of my letters to you._

_Love forever,_

_Draco_

Draco closed his book. That was all his book contained, lots of letters to many different people. He told them what he would never say to their faces. It helped a great deal. He was sure that was why his sanity was still intact.

OoOoOo

Draco's free time was spent in the library, reading book after book of curses that forbade someone to speak. He wrote everything he deemed important down, made a copy, and sent it and the books to Granger by owl. Granger was just as dedicated to her research as he was to his. She could pick something up that Draco hadn't spotted. It vexed him to no end, but he never commented on it.

Along with her data, she briefly told him about what was happening in Hogwarts. Her letters regarding Harry sent Draco into a fit of rage. The boy wasn't eating, he had bags under his eyes, his eyes were bloodshot, he wasn't paying attention in class, he always seemed jumpy around others, and the list went on and on. It made Draco want to go back to Hogwarts and strangle him. Didn't Draco have enough worries without Harry adding to them? But Granger assured him that she was doing the best she could to take care of her friend.

The first letter she had sent him had made him want to hex her for making him feel guilty.

_November 12, 1997_

_Hogwarts_

_Malfoy,_

_How the hell could you do that to Harry? I know why you asked me to have him meet you in the old Potions classroom at five. Were you snogging Terry Boot or shagging him when Harry saw you two? What ever you did, he came running back to the Gryffindor Tower and wouldn't let Ron and me leave his side. He kept staring at us and telling us that he loved us dearly and was sorry for anything that he had ever done to hurt us. It wasn't ten minutes later that Ron started screaming and an hour later that he died._

_Did you know that it was going to happen, Malfoy? If you did, you're more evil than I had ever anticipated. I hate you for it, Malfoy. I HATE YOU. No words can begin to even describe how much I despise you. And I know you took Terry Boot with you. He's still with you, isn't he? Harry's broken down because of Ron's death and your betrayal. I hope you burn in hell for it, Malfoy!_

_Hermione Granger_

He had written back to her and harshly told her that he had never known that Harry would have talked and that his intentions of bringing Boot with him were nothing but business related. He did not say anything about the tear blotches, which he was sure were hers, that were on her letter. Once some kind of understanding had been reached, their letters became less filled with hate and more of a cautious acquaintanceship. He was glad to note that he could have an intelligent conversation with her.

Voldemort slowed down on his kidnapping. Instead of someone disappearing every day, there was only one per week and sometimes every other week. All the witches and wizards of the Wizarding World were on their guard, so it was more difficult to kidnap someone. Draco still wasn't sure what Voldemort was doing with them. His father never talked about it, but Draco was sure he knew.

One day, Voldemort visited the Manor. Lucius left him with Draco in the drawing room and went to instruct the house elves to serve Voldemort's favorite foods. Draco hadn't come in contact with Voldemort outside of Death Eater meetings since he had been home. The man, if one could call him that, raised fear in him, yet at the same time he made Draco want to defeat him with every ounce of his being.

"My Lord," Draco kissed the hem of his robe, then sat down.

Voldemort's hands were resting on the armrests of the chair, his eyes glowing in the dim light. "Draco. How is your lover faring with the research? Maybe he will come through where others have failed. None could tell me anything useful regarding a power source."

"He's been working hard on it, my Lord."

"I'm pleased to hear it. I would like to talk to him immediately."

"Of course." Draco called a house elf and commanded it to go and fetch Boot. When he appeared in the drawing room, the expression of pleased surprise disappeared when he saw Voldemort. He looked questioningly to Draco.

"Come sit down, love," Draco said. "Our Lord wants to talk to you."

Boot hesitantly went and sat down next to Draco on the couch, shaking. His hands twirled nervously in his lap, his eyes refusing to meet Voldemort's.

"Have you been reading on transferring power to a source?" Voldemort asked, his eyes staring into the top of Boot's head.

Boot nodded. "Draco told me to begin. I've been reading all I can find on the subject."

"And what have you learned and concluded from your readings?"

Boot was quiet. He looked at Draco through lowered lashes. His eyes were so unsure and terrified. Draco gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"You must have a pure power source in order to transfer energy into it," he said softly. "If it's corrupted in any way, the transferral will backfire and it will explode. The power source can hold an infinite amount of energy, but the energy can be drawn from it if anyone touches it. It's hard to control the amount of energy that you want from it. The transferral is very exhausting. It'll take at least a day to recover the lost strength."

"How much energy is safe when it's being transferred?"

"It ranges. When you feel like you've transferred enough energy, I suppose."

"What kind of pure power source?"

"Anything that hasn't been touched by magic or human hands."

Voldemort looked pensive. Boot was still trembling, his eyes remaining on his hands. Voldemort excused him from the room. Once again, it was just the two of them.

"How is Harry Potter?" Voldemort questioned.

"I no longer keep in contact with him, my Lord. Things 'fell out' between us, I suppose you could say."

"Is that it? Your father had orders from me to tell you specifically to keep your relationship with Potter, did he not?" Voldemort said in a calm voice.

"He did, my Lord. Potter caught me with Boot."

Voldemort's smile made the hairs on Draco' neck rise. "Oh yes, I remember. Who died this time?"

"Ron Weasley."

"A waste of living space those Weasleys. Shamed the pureblood lines."

"Yes, they disgrace us. I don't know how they could raise so many children." There was a moment of silence. "May I ask how is it that Ron Weasley died?" Would Voldemort give him any new information?

Red eyes regarded him. Draco's breath seized in his lungs. Did Voldemort trust him enough to tell him? He was afraid that he didn't. But then why wouldn't he? Draco had done everything they had demanded of him. He brought Terry Boot to them, kidnapped, tortured, and killed many. Helped planned raids and surprise attacks. He was by far the most promising new Death Eater.

"A curse," Voldemort said. "Haven't you figured it out yet, young Malfoy? A loved one dies every time the Boy Who Lived," he sneered at the name, "speaks. Quite an ingenious curse, don't you think so? Prevents one from revealing anything."

"Yes, my Lord. That is very ingenious. I've never heard of it before."

A smug smile stretched across the thin lips. "It's a special curse of Salazar Slytherin's called the Evinase. I am the only one who possesses his journal. So much information and Dark curses in there. Passed from one generation to the next."

Draco allowed himself to show his surprise. "I wasn't even aware he had one."

"His entries are very detailed. No potion master nor wizard could ask for better."

From there, they moved on to the recently planned surprise attack on a Muggle village near the eastern coast. Then dinner was served. Voldemort and Lucius conversed while Draco, his mother, and Boot were quiet. It was strange seeing Voldemort eat. It just looked... out of place

As they were preparing for bed that night, an owl pecked at his window. Draco opened and let it in, recognizing one of Hogwarts' school owls. He untied the letter and offered the owl food and water.

"Who's it from?" Boot inquired from the bed.

Draco opened his desk drawer and quietly cast a locking spell. "It's business, love."

Boot, ever trusting, nodded and settled back against the pillows. "Why did you let him near me, Draco? You know I'm scared of him."

Draco pulled on his robe. "I tried to discourage him from seeing you, but he wouldn't hear of it. You couldn't possibly think that I would want you around him, do you? I don't like him being around you any more than you do."

Boot twirled his hand. Draco could feel those eyes staring at him. "Is he the reason why you've been having me research on a power source? You do know what he's planning to do, don't you?"

Draco glanced at him. "Yes. I have an idea."

"He's been stealing witches' and wizards' powers, Draco. Only now, the excessive amounts of power are taking a toll on him. He needs something to hold the power. If he doen't, he'll go mad. He may be powerful, but no one is powerful enough to hold their power and the power of at least ten other people's. Now, with the additional power, surely he will defeat Harry Potter?"

He wanted to shout at him and tell him that he would never let Voldemort kill Harry while he could prevent it. Instead, he went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth. He couldn't blow his cover now, especially when Salazar Slytherin's journal could contain the counter-curse to the Evinase. If there wasn't one, then there must be some other kind of information that could help him.

Draco got into bed and let Boot curl up next to him. Once the Ravenclaw's breathing slowed and evened out, Draco got up, going over to his drawer. He unlocked it and unfurled the letter. There were four sheets. The first two were the information that Granger had collected and the other two were Granger's report regarding the going-ons of Hogwarts.

Draco settled down near the fire and began reading the letter. As the minutes ticked by, his grip on the parchment tightened. By the time he was done reading, he punched the wall in frustration. He was left with a smarting fist and jaws that ached from clenching in anger. He was going to kill Harry personally. The stubborn git wasn't doing any better than he had since Granger had first told Draco of his condition. Granger had caught him reading a book full of Dark curses from Merlin knew where. Harry wasn't telling her anything.

Knowing the dolt, he would probably kill Voldemort any way he could for taking his loved ones away. Draco tiredly closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. Weasley's death had angered Harry enough to go after Voldemort. And, being the Gryffindor that he was, he was going to do it recklessly. It was clear that Harry wasn't going to listen to Granger, his closest friend.

Walking over to his desk, Draco took out a piece of parchment and his quill.

_December 18, 1997_

_Malfoy Manor_

_Harry,_

_You utter, idiotic, moron. How dare you think you can brashly run off and defeat Voldemort? Have you lost the little brains you had? Are you that anxious to die? You know that his powers have been increasing. You've known that for a long time, haven't you? I know what he did to you, Harry. I demand that you not rush off, like the stupid Gryffindor you are, and try to kill him. You will have your revenge eventually, but now is not the time._

_Stop reading what ever book you're reading, or I'll have Granger burn it._

_Malfoy_

Draco was glad that the Hogwarts' owl hadn't rushed off. It was perched on top of Draco's cabinet, still feasting on some owl treats. Draco tied the parchment to its leg. The owl gave him a disgruntled look at having to be sent off at such a late hour, but nontheless took off. He hoped Harry would heed him.

He had a hard time sleeping that night.

OoOoOo

Two days later, Granger mailed him telling him that Harry had received his letter (she had recognized the owl she had sent off and the familiar writing). They had been sitting in the Common Room when the owl was let in. Harry had looked surprised when he opened the letter, then he had angrily flung it into the fire. She caught him reading the book again. Apparently he was ignoring Malfoy's letter.

A determined look came across Draco's face. If his letter wasn't getting through, then Draco, himself, would have to go and 'talk' to Harry in person.


	19. Confrontation

**Comments: **Aren't you glad this chapter didn't take as long to get out as the previous chapter did? This story is almost to its end. Just 5-6 more chapters, I think. As I have mentioned in my LJ: chapters from now on will be un-beta'd unless otherwise stated.

**Rating:** 17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 19: Confrontation**

OoOoOoOo

Draco was not able to leave for Hogwarts until three days later. Telling Boot that he had some business he had to do for his father, which was true, he flooed to Hogwarts near midnight. Granger had arranged for him to land in the Gryffindor Common Room, assuring him that those who had stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays would be up in their dormitories. Sure enough, when he arrived, it was empty. He went up to the seventh-year boys' dormitory. He eased the door open, his heart thudding in his chest. It had been almost two months since he last saw Harry.

The dorm was awashed in the silver moonlight shining through the window. The beds were neatly made and empty except for one. He remembered when he had run up here to see if Harry was alright. Draco's arms suddenly missed the feeling of his body.

Harry's bed curtains were opened, his back to Draco. Draco smiled at the mess of hair on the pillow. He walked around the bed. Harry's face was blank, and he was hugging a pillow. Draco wanted nothing more than to watch him sleep, but he had a limited amount of time. He reached out and brushed his fingers gently across Harry's cheek, down to his jawline, and up to his lips. He wanted to kiss them, but he resisted.

"Harry," he said loudly.

Harry's wand was immediately pointed at Draco's heart before his eyes had even snapped open. Draco started slightly. So Harry had learned to wake up faster. Somehow that realization caused him great sadness. Green eyes met grey. Harry carefully reached for his glasses on the table and put them on quickly. Once he realized who it was, his mouth opened in surprise.

"Hello, Harry," he said.

Harry closed his mouth, but did not put his wand down.

A wry smile crossed Draco's face. "Yes, I missed you, too. Since when have you really needed a wand?"

It was clear that Harry wasn't planning on communicating with him. It was a shame, really. Draco had been looking forward to seeing him. Did he hate him for unintentionally killing Weasley?

Draco sat on the next bed. "Granger tells me you haven't been well. Miss me that much?"

Harry looked down at the floor, then up at him, his eyes narrowed. He slowly sat up, his wand never wavering from Draco's heart. Draco's breath caught when his eyes devoured Harry's naked torso. His hands, eyes, and tongue knew every centimetre of that body. Harry turned to face him fully, setting his bare feet on the floor. His red pajama pants stood out sharply.

"You need to work on your greeting skills, Potter. One would think you're not happy to see me. Is that any way to treat your lover?" Draco cocked his head a little. "Or is it ex now?" He was satisfied to see that Harry's hand tightened on his wand. If he could not get Harry to talk to him, then at least he could get him to react. "What ever the case, I'm here to take your book."

Harry shook his head furiously.

"Oh, yes. I warned you not to read it. Granger couldn't find the book. Tell me, where did you hide it? Did you use that Invisibility Cloak of yours to hide it? I'm sure you did. How clever of you. Now tell me where it is."

He firmly shook his head.

"Let's not play games, Harry. As pained as I am to admit it, I don't have all the time in the world to play with you. My father expects me back soon."

Draco sighed when he shook his head again.

"What was the curse called? The Evinase, was it?"

Harry's face paled in the moonlight.

"Ah, so I _am_ right. No surprise there. Let me see what I can remember. Voldemort found it in Slytherin's journal and used it on you. You cannot speak, and if you do, then one of your friends or family will die. How depressing not to speak. But you found a way around that, didn't you? Voldemort didn't know you were so talented at wandless magic. He's constantly underestimating you. That mistake will get him killed someday, and you're going to be the one who kills him, right? Meanwhile, you're reading on Dark Magic. Did you know those curses could rip your soul slowly and very painfully from your body? Believe me, I've seen it happen many times since I've been home, though I would hardly call Malfoy Manor my home.

"What curse are you planning on using, Harry? How are you planning to kill him? Will it work? Are you sure you'll have over fifty percent chance of surviving? Or are you going on your gut instinct? You can only rely on those for so long before they fail you. But you don't care if you survive or not, do you?" Draco asked angrily.

Harry's face was indifferent. Draco was getting frustrated with him.

"You're going to die and you know it. Is that what that book is about? A life for a life? How _noble_ of you to do such a thing. Acting like a martyr. How disappointing to those who have given up their lives to protect you."

'I never asked them to!' Harry stood up and glared at him.

Draco calmly looked up to meet his eyes. "No, I suppose you didn't. They didn't die just so you could, too."

'No, they saved me so I could kill Voldemort. That's what they want, isn't it? As long as Voldemort is defeated, no one cares what happens to me.'

"Stop it with the self-pity," Draco snapped, standing up as well. "Not everyone in the world is more concerned with Voldemort's defeat than your life. Dumbledore treats you like a grandson. Those who know you care about you enough to help you and be there for you every time you need them."

'Oh yeah? Then where the fuck were YOU? Or do you not care about me?' His eyes were like venom.

"I was off saving your arse and spying for your side! Don't you dare ask me where I was. I've seen more horrors in the last two months to give me nightmares for years."

'I'm sure Terry Boot was there to comfort you in your time of need.'

Draco's jaw clenched.

'How is he in bed? I wasn't aware you liked them noisy. Don't tell me he's better than Iam. He can't make your clothes disappear without a word, can he? What a fool I was to fall for you. You wanted me to see you with him. If you had wanted to break up with me, you could have just said so. But you were always one for the dramatics, weren't you? Thanks to you, Ron is dead.'

Draco's hands fisted into his robe. "Don't blame his death on me. How was I to know that you would speak?"

'I bet you're glad he's dead. You've never liked him anyway.'

"I didn't like him, but I never wanted him dead. Do you think I'm that cruel?"

'I wouldn't know.'

His words stung him, but Draco held his composure. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. You were too busy hiding things from me."

'It's not like I could tell you! If I even write it or speak it, someone will die. I hate the fact that there are people dying because of me, but there's not much I can do. That's why I need to kill Voldemort now.'

"No. You will kill him soon, but not now."

'Fuck you. You have no right to tell me what to do.'

"I have every bloody right to!" Draco snarled.

'No you don't!'

"Yes, I do." Draco had to stop himself from strangling him. "You wait until I can find the counter curse in Slytherin's journal."

Harry's eyes widened. 'You have his journal? There's a counter curse?'

"No, I don't have his journal. I'm not sure if there's a counter curse, but there's a good chance there is one. Wait until I find it."

'Where is the journal?'

"Voldemort has it."

'How long will it take for you to get it? I can't wait forever. I'll give you two weeks. By the end of those two weeks, I'm coming after Voldemort no matter what. And I'm not giving you the book either. I'll need to be prepared, just in case you fail.'

"I need more time than two weeks, Harry. It's hard to sneak around Voldemort."

Harry had a look of stubborness on his face. 'Two weeks. Take it or leave it.'

Draco scowled darkly. He hated that he had no choice but to play by Harry's rules. "Fine. Two fucking weeks it is. Though how I'm supposed to find it in such a short amount of time astounds me."

'I'm sure Boot will help you.'

"He is none of your concern." Draco was tired of having this spat with Harry, especially when he wanted nothing more than to touch him.

'Oh, I forgot. He's your fuck buddy now, isn't he? How low my self-esteem has sunk to know that you got over the Boy-Who-Lived so quickly.'

"Yes, it must be depressing to know that I don't worship every step you take like the rest of the world does," Draco scoffed.

Harry's lips pressed into a thin line. 'Get out.'

"Is this how you're going to treat me after we haven't seen each other for so long?" Draco tsked. "I had been expecting a kiss or something of the sort."

'I know it kills you when your every want isn't satisfied.'

"No. I just keep on trying."

Harry looked puzzled. Draco took advantage of his bewilderment and swept him into his arms. He crushed his mouth to Harry's, his body recognizing the smaller one. Gods, how he had missed this. The perfect shape of Harry's lips, mouth, teeth, tongue. He groaned in want, burying his hands in the silky raven locks. He tilted the face up to plunge deeper into the pliant mouth beneath his. Harry struggled against him, though Draco thought that the Gryffindor wasn't putting as much strength into it as he could. He took encouragement from this and deepened the kiss even more, pulling Harry so close to him that it was as if he wanted their bodies to meld and become one. It worried him when he felt bones digging into him. Harry had lost more weight than he could afford.

Tan fingers reverently touched every part of his face. Through all of this, neither closed nor averted their eyes from the other. Harry's eyes were full of confusion, lust, and a little bit of anger. He began to respond to Draco's kiss. It was as if both of them were trying to devour each other. Draco couldn't stop the noises of pleasure that were escaping him. He bit Harry's lower lip and was rewarded with a soft moan. Months of meaningless sex with a bloke he wasn't even attracted to was taking its toll. If they didn't stop soon, Draco would fuck Harry into the floor. He didn't have time, and he resented the fact that his father was indeed expecting him.

He slowed the kiss until their lips were barely touching at all. The silent dorm was interrupted by panting. Harry's unruly hair looked a horrible mess from Draco's fingers, his lips were swollen and a healthy red, and his eyes were half-lidded, glazed, and dark. He looked so tempting that Draco had to bite his tongue to stop himself from jumping him.

"I have to go," Draco said quietly.

At his words, Harry's eyes cleared and the hostility that he first had towards Draco reappeared. 'Then go. Go back to Boot, to Voldemort, to your goddamn father! That kiss changes nothing! We're still enemies. I hate you! Get out!'

"Harry..."

'GET OUT!' Harry's eyes were sparkling furiously. 'I HATE YOU! I never want to see you again.'

Draco found himself being dragged out of the room by an invisible force. He tried to stop it, but it was just too strong. He looked over his shoulder and saw Harry watching him with an enraged expression. "Let me go, Harry!"

'No. Don't you ever kiss me or touch me again, Malfoy. I despise your touch.'

Draco had to catch himself against the wall as he was forcefully thrown from the room. Before the door slammed shut, he could hear the sound of fists repeatedly hitting a pillow. Try as he might, he could not get the door to open or Harry to open the door.

Draco flooed out of Hogwarts to Knockturn Alley where he met with a man selling highly dangerous Potions ingredients. He bought the amount of each ingredient specified by his father and Apparated away.

His father didn't ask what had taken him so long, assuming that Draco had been handling some other things for Voldemort. They discussed some things for an hour before Draco made his way up the stairs. He didn't see the sight of Boot curled up in his bed, instead his mind dredged up the recent picture of Harry sleeping in his four-poster in the Gryffindor Common Room.

Feeling miserable, Draco undressed and got into bed. How long it would take him to fall asleep tonight, he did not know. All he knew that it was going to take longer than usual.


	20. Slytherin's Journal

**Comments: **Well, it's taken me much longer than I thought to finish this chapter... Go motivation. Anyway, I want to apologize for taking about 4 years for this chapter to come out! Hopefully I'll finish this story before the end of the year. There are not that many chapters left to go. Thank you for everyoone who has stayed and supported me!

**Rating:** 17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 20: Slytherin's Journal**

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During the Christmas dinner with Voldemort and a few close followers, Draco skillfully hinted at Voldemort about a possible potion that could restore his body. He could see that Voldemort was indeed interested and used that as much to his advantage as he could. He had no idea how long it would take for Voldemort to get the hint and give him Slytherin's journal. He hoped it wouldn't be long. Voldemort had a penchant for the finer things in life, so why would it not apply to his physical looks? From what Draco had heard, Voldemort had been very handsome.

Draco scoured his library, looking for a mention of the Evinase. Though his library was extensive on the Dark Arts, he could not find anything that even resembled the curse. He had privately owled every researcher he knew and Granger as well. Their attempts to learn more about the curse, like Draco's, were futile. Time was running out, and Draco was getting desperate. He did not even entertain the remote possibility that Harry would go back on his word and decide to wait patiently after all. The damn Gryffindor was rash and brainless.

Sometimes, while he was in Voldemort's presence, Draco was afraid that his desperation showed in his eyes every time he looked at Voldemort. He did not know how he would get that book if Voldemort did not listen to him about restoring his body.

A few days after Christmas, one of the house elves, trembling like mad, told Draco that Voldemort wanted to speak to him immediately. Draco quickly closed the large book of curses he had been flipping through and made his way down to the drawing room.

At the sound of the door opening, Voldemort turned from his contemplation of the fireplace and met Draco's eyes. Draco slammed up the barriers in his mind, keeping it blissfully blank. He made his way over to Voldemort and bent and kissed the hem of his robes.

"My Lord," he said. "I apologize for keeping you. I was not expecting you."

"I have been researching on regaining my old body back. This body," he made a sweeping motion of his hand at himself, "disgusts many. I have seen the looks of revulsion many have tried to hide when they look at me. Once upon a time, many had desired to follow me based solely on my physical attributes.

"In fact, your Aunt Bellatrix was just one of those many who was attracted most to me because of my looks. You see, Draco, I have learned that people in general are more likely to follow and believe someone attractive rather than someone who is plain or ugly. It is part of human nature to appreciate and treasure beautiful things.

"The number of my followers are increasing at a slow rate. Every time that a battle occurs, for every three Death Eaters that are captured or die, one new Death Eater replaces them. You see the problem."

Draco nodded. "Yes, my Lord. You do have a very valid point. With a new body and a new face, the number of Death Eater recruits would increase greatly. Training would take a little bit of time, but it would be worth it to see your ranks swell. Not to mention that they would follow you with smitten loyalty instead of just fear."

"They would be fascinated with me, would they not?" It was no more a question than a simple statement.

"Very much so, my Lord. From my experience," he began slowly, "I've learned that everyone appreciates beautiful things. You once told me that I could tempt both men and women to join you for me. Well, my Lord, you could do the same thing as well. If you had your former body, men and women would be flocking to your side. Pleasure is a powerful reason to do anything."

"And do you have any idea as to how I would regain this body?"

Draco was completely aware that Voldemort was testing him with this question. "It most likely involves your blood in addition to other hard-to-come-by ingredients and possibly something that you owned during the age that you wish your body to be."

Voldemort regarded him silently. Draco boldly met his red eyes, trying desperately not to flinch away while at the same time guarding his mind closely. He had never wished for something so badly in his life that he could remember. He prayed to anyone listening that Voldemort would trust him enough and hopefully give him Slytherin's journal. If, in the end, he didn't get the journal, then all of the things that he had done over these past months—murder, torture, betrayal—had all been for nothing in the end.

As Draco watched with baited breath, keeping his face and posture blank, Voldemort drew out a book from the folds of his robes and gave it to Draco. Draco casually took it from him without once glancing down at it, his eyes on Voldemort.

"My Lord?" he questioned, although he knew perfectly what it was.

"That is a priceless artifact, Draco. It's Salazar Slytherin's journal. If anything should happen to it while in your possession, it would have been better if you had never been conceived nor dreamt of."

Draco inclined his head in understanding.

"I know that there is a potion in there to restore me to my former body. Modifications must be made to the potion, though. I want my body to be stronger than it was and immortal." Voldemort moved to the door in a subtly jerky motion. "I am aware that this is a big responsibility for a mere 17-year-old, but I have hopes that you will live past expectations and bring honor to the Malfoy name as you have always wanted. With your short life span, your knowledge is not as broad in potions as I would like so I will enlist the help of Severus for this. I will check on the progress from time to time. Do not fail me."

Draco focused his attention on the journal as Voldemort swept out of the door. The cover was bound with black leather and well-worn. There was no writing on it. Draco carefully opened to the some random page and was greeted with blank yellowing parchment. He flipped through the rest of the book and was irritated to find that it was completely blank. Of course nothing that had to do with Salazar Slytherin, or Dark Lords in general, could ever be simple could it?

Turning to the front page, he sat down in an armchair and took out his wand. Going through all the spells he knew to make the pages reveal their contents proved futile. He sighed and leaned his head back and momentarily closed his eyes. Some deity must really hate him with a vengeance. Whenever he got what he wanted, it always ended up being fucked up somehow. He needed Slytherin's journal. He needed to reverse the curse on Harry before his time was up. He did not know what Harry planned to do to defeat Voldemort if he could not speak. Yes, his wandless magic was advanced, but there were certain spells that always required an incantation and a wand, spells that were required to kill Voldemort.

And if Harry wasn't planning to speak…

Draco rubbed at his face and opened his eyes again and stared blankly at the page. As he looked, words began appearing. Startled, he moved the book closer to him. As he skimmed each word, more words appeared. When he paused to look at the bottom of the page, there were no more words. In fact, the words had stopped appearing as soon as he had stopped reading.

"Oh bollocks," he muttered. This was going to take longer than he had hoped.

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Draco thought for sure that his eyes would pop out of their sockets and roll around on his desk. He had done nothing but read Slytherin's journal for the past two days and nights. The journal indeed was extensive and very detailed. Draco had vainly tried skimming through the book for a mention of the Evinase only to find that the pages remained blank unless every page was read. He hoped that the Evinase curse would come up soon. Time was quickly running out.

Regardless of his urgent need to find the Evinase, Draco learned enough from Slytherin's journal to make a living hell on earth. Not only was Slytherin evil, he was extremely brilliant. The man was a great teacher as well. He explained things so thoroughly and in such a way that Draco understood the concepts better than he would have from anyone else.

Snape came to the Manor to help him as was ordered by Voldemort. Draco couldn't help but be grateful.

"Do you have any idea what you are planning to do, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape inquired by way of greeting.

Draco scowled up at him from Slytherin's journal. "I'm trying to find the counter-curse to the Evinase. The cure to Harry's curse," Draco explained when Snape raised a questioning eyebrow. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised that Snape didn't know the name of the curse. It wasn't like Voldemort went around parading the information.

"Is Slytherin's journal that vast that in the two days it has been given to you you still have not found any mention of it?"

"The journal is tricky," Draco replied, rather miffed. "I have to read every single page before I can go on to the next page." He rubbed tiredly at his eyes.

Snape examined him for a moment, taking in the dark circles under his eyes that stood out so starkly against the pale skin. "How much hours of sleep have you had since you've had that book?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe six?"

"I know finding Potter's counter-curse is important, but it is not so important that you should risk your health over it."

"Well it wouldn't be so bloody important if that bloody idiot hadn't given me a bloody time limit!" Draco growled.

"He gave you a time limit?"

"Yes! Two weeks as of the night of the 23rd. When those two weeks are up, he's planning to come and do something stupid like try to kill Voldemort, completely unprepared of course."

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. "Merlin save us from stupid Gryffindors." He looked at Draco. "Go get some rest. I'll take over."

Draco wasn't about to argue. Gods knew he was exhausted and on the verge of collapsing. His nose had been buried in the journal for hours on end, pausing a couple of times throughout the days to use the loo. Boot had tried countless times to draw him away from the book. Draco had held onto his temper by a thin thread by not snapping and cursing the moron. He supposed that he should go and make it up to him... but after he got some much needed food and sleep.

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The days were wearing away quicker than Draco would have liked. He had owled Granger, telling her to tell Harry that he needed more time. Draco had tried owling Harry, but his owl always returned with his letter intact. The logical part of Draco was glad that he could not go to Hogwarts any time he pleased otherwise he would surely give Harry a good couple of punches to knock some sense into him.

To make matters worse than they already were, Voldemort called a meeting. When Draco apparated to the destination, he saw that there were less than a dozen Death Eaters there. He wondered if Snape was here. There was no doubt in his mind that his father was.

Draco looked around. They were in a clearing, gathered in the usual circle. There were trees surrounding them. It looked as if they were in the woods. The stars were clear tonight through the bare branches with the quarter moon shining brighter than Draco remembered it being from the Manor. He shivered as a light wind stirred the already cold air. He pulled his cloak closer to this body and fixed his mask, turning his attention back to the center of the circle.

Voldemort stood in the center, his face looking more horrific by the swirling flames of nearby torches. Pettigrew, as was usual for the man, was cowering behind him.

"My followers, I summoned you tonight to witness what I have planned. The location that we are currently at is unplottable and cannot be accessed by anyone but me unless I summoned you." Voldemort began walking around the circle, pausing every now and then to look at a Death Eater. "Tonight is the night in which I will transfer some of my power to another power source."

Draco inaudibly sucked in a breath. So soon? He had not been expecting it. There had been no word about when Voldemort was going to transfer his power or even if he was going to do it at all. But now that he looked at him, Draco could see the strain of carrying the extra magic. Voldemort seemed stiffer, not terribly noticeably, but enough that Draco could catch it. His movements seemed forced, as if it was taking a great amount of will to simply move his limbs.

"I will be weak afterwards, that is why all of you are here. You eight are among of my closest followers and will be entrusted to protect me until I regain my strength." He stopped in front of Draco, his red eyes boring relentlessly into his. "Do you know what the flower nasturtium means, Draco?"

Draco lowered his head in submission. "No, I do not my Lord."

Voldemort's mouth curled upwards. "It means conquest and victory in battle. A prediction of our efforts. It makes a perfect power source. Nothing has touched it but the soil, water, and sun on which it grows." He turned around and walked again to the center of the circle. Pettigrew gave a squeak of surprise and quickly presented Voldemort with a small pot containing a single orange flower with numerous leaves surrounding it. Voldemort took it from him without even sparing him a look. He conjured a stand and placed the pot on it.

"Once the transferral is complete, set the pot in this glass container and close the lid." A glass orb, about the size of a quaffle, appeared in front of Voldemort, floating at waist level. When Voldemort touched it with a finger, the orb split neatly in half, each half connected to the other as if by an invisible hinge. Voldemort looked briefly at Pettigrew. "You know what to do with it once the flower is inside."

"Y-y-yes Master!" Pettigrew franticly stuttered.

Voldemort began chanting in Latin, too low for Draco to hear every word. As he chanted, the air surrounding him seemed to glow a sickly yellow. Voldemort touched the flower gently with his fingertips. Where his fingers connected with the flower, the yellow surrounding him began to seep into the flower. Voldemort's head began to droop and he suddenly fell to his knees, but did not lose contact with the flower.

"Stay back!" someone said sharply.

Draco turned to look and saw one of the Death Eaters stepping back into formation. He knew that it had been Bellatrix wanting to go and help her Lord off of his knees where she thought that he should never be.

After about five minutes, Voldemort dropped his hand to his side as if it were lead weight. This time, Bellatrix was permitted to run to him and catch him before he fell completely to the ground. While she simpered over him, Draco examined the flower as did every other Death Eater. The orange flower now had an iridescent quality to it, otherwise it looked like an ordinary flower.

Pettigrew handled the flower with the utmost care, being cautious to only touch the pot of the plant. Once set in the glass orb, the pot and flower hung in suspension. With a _click_, the orb was closed. Pettigrew looked down at Voldemort who was still cradled against Bellatrix, hesitated, then apparated away with the orb.

Bellatrix was crooning to Voldemort, pledging her undying loyalty and love. As Draco moved closer, he saw that Voldemort's eyes were closed and he was breathing regularly and deeply.

"Let's go," Lucius said.

Bellatrix looked up, her mad eyes recognizable even in the dim light. She nodded and clutched Voldemort even closer. She then apparated away with Voldemort still in her arms. Then, one by one, all of the Death Eaters apparated until it was only Draco standing alone in the clearing. He did not understand why his hands were trembling.


	21. New Year's and Staying Up Past Midnight

**Comments: **Thank you to all those who left comments. Once again, the unedited chapters can be found **ON MY LIVEJOURNAL WHOSE ADDRESS CAN BE FOUND ON MY PROFILE PAGE!** Anyone who asks me to send them the unedited chapters will be ignored. I have told people numerous times about my LJ and I seriously hate repeating myself.

**Rating:** 17+

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 21: New Year's and Staying Up Past Midnight**

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"Professor," Draco murmured, leaning against the closed door, dazed. His mind was filling up with plans of killing Voldemort. Voldemort was weak now. There was no better time to strike.

Snape stood up from the desk that he had been occupying while reading the journal. "Draco, what is it?" He seemed slightly alarmed at the usually stoic boy looking so faint.

"The Dark Lord, he transferred some of his powers to a power source tonight." Draco tried to focus his eyes on him. "He's weak. If there is a chance that we should attack, it should be within the next day or so."

"Are you mad?" Snape hissed. "The Order will not be ready on such short notice. Do you not pause to think that the Dark Lord will be heavily protected in the next couple of days? And how well prepared do you think Potter will be if he finds out tonight that he has to kill his enemy tomorrow? How do you propose Potter kill the Dark Lord if Potter will not talk? The counter-curse to the Evinase has not even been found. There is even a chance that the counter-curse does not exist! This will not work."

"There _is_ a counter-curse!" Draco stated vehemently, refusing to believe otherwise. If he did, then all of his hopes would be lost.

Snape sneered. "What if there isn't one? Then what?"

"There has to be. I know it!"

"Ah, but that is where you're wrong. You do not know if there is a counter-curse. You're placing all your trust and hope in something that you are not even entirely sure exists."

Draco glared at him. "Then what do you suggest I do, _Professor_? Should I tell Harry that he might as well go ahead and put his stupid plan into action and get killed because there is no point in waiting for me to find the cure because according to you there isn't one? There _has_ to be one or how else is Harry going to kill the Dark Lord?"

Neither one refused to let the chance that Voldemort might win enter their consciousness.

"I am merely stating a possibility. You must look at all of the options that are available."

Draco sighed. "All of the other options are invalid. This is the only option that is left. I have already examined all of them numerous times. I know what we are doing may seem in vain," he indicated Slytherin's journal which they were about a little over a third of the way through, "but it's the only thing that holds the answer."

Snape did not answer him, instead he turned back to the journal. "I know, Draco, I know."

Draco gave a brief nod, although Snape did not see him, and turned and left to go back to his room. He needed as much sleep as he could get before it was his turn to read the journal.

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Tomorrow would be New Year's Day.

Draco knew the sentimentality that many associated with midnight on New Year's Eve. Despite the fact that he was not exactly the most romantic and emotional person, he still wanted to spend the night of New Year's Eve with Harry. He had already owled Granger who confirmed that regardless of all the fuss the Weasleys had made, Harry was spending the holiday break at Hogwarts. A brief owl to Dumbledore granted him permission to directly floo to the Gryffindor common room.

It was now nearing ten o'clock and he had spent the required amount of time with his family before venturing off to his room, Boot close behind him. Boot had been awfully quiet when Draco bothered to notice. Making Boot happy was not his first priority. Keeping the Ravenclaw safe was his main concern.

"Where are you going?" Boot asked quietly once they were in Draco's room.

"Death Eater business, love," Draco responded, not stopping his rummage of his closet. Where in the world was that robe that his mother had given him for Christmas?

"Then I take it we can't spend New Year's Eve together," Boot said, his voice heavy.

Draco did pause this time, turning around to look at Boot. He was sitting dejectedly on the bed and fiddling with the emerald engagement ring. It was true that Draco had not been spending a lot of time with him ever since Voldemort gave him Slytherin's journal. What Boot didn't seem to understand that in times of war, people could not simply live like they normally did.

Draco walked over to him and tilted Boot's face up so he could look at him. "I'm sorry. I really am. I would love nothing more than to spend tonight with you but I can't. You know I can't." Draco hesitated. "Unless you want me to. I could probably just not show up."

As was expected, Boot quickly rushed to say, "No! Don't be mad, Draco. I know what Voldemort would do to you." He sighed. "It's just, I miss you. I haven't seen a lot of you for a while. I was just hoping we could bring in the new year together."

Draco bent down and kissed him. "I know. I wish that we could more than anything in the world."

Boot's arms wrapped around Draco's waist and pulled him down onto the bed on top of him. "Promise you will come back as soon as you're done," he implored.

Draco ran a hand gently through Boot's hair. "I promise I'll break down Malfoy Manor's anti-apparition wards and apparate to you as soon as I'm done."

A pleased smile was his answer. Draco kissed him again and got up. He found the blue robes he had been looking for and put it on. Throwing on his heaviest cloak, he left after another kiss from Boot. From Malfoy Manor, he apparated to a floo station since all destinations could be obtained by the master of Malfoy Manor if Draco were to use the floo there.

The Gryffindor common room looked exactly the same as Draco remembered from last time, albeit there was more light now than there had been. He was not exactly sure where Harry would be at this time. Since very few of the students stayed at Hogwarts over the holidays, Draco was willing to wager that Harry was up in his dorm.

Making sure his steps were quiet, Draco crept up to Harry's dorm and carefully opened the door. A quick scan revealed that all of the beds were neatly made. The room was completely dark save for the light cast by the almost full moon that shone through the windows. Draco's eyes lighted on Harry who was sitting on the ledge of the window nearest to his bed. His knees were pulled against his chest and he was gazing out of the window. Draco's heart constricted as he observed him. Harry was in Muggle clothes: a pair of jeans and one of his usual oversized sweaters, his feet bare.

Draco took a step inside of the room and made it halfway to Harry before he saw Harry tense and quickly turn around, his wand pointed at Draco. When recognition dawned on Harry's face, he lowered his wand. He stood up and faced him. Draco couldn't see his face very well since it was hidden by shadows.

'What are you doing here? I thought I told you that I never wanted to see you again.' The gold words briefly lit up Harry's face before fading.

"It's New Year's Eve," Draco replied as if it answered everything.

Harry was still. 'So it is. It means nothing to me.'

Draco wondered how close Harry would permit him to be. He began to slowly walk towards him as if Harry was an untamed creature. _A beautiful creature_. "It should. It means a new beginning. All of the bad things that happened in the past year can be left behind." Harry made no move to stop him as Draco edged closer. "Resolutions can be made and kept or made and lost. What will your resolution be?"

Harry's teeth flashed in the dim light. 'To kill Voldemort. My resolution won't be lost though.'

Draco stopped within reaching distance of him. Up this close, he could make out Harry's face. With a flick of his wand, Draco lit the torches and the fireplace. Harry flinched as light filled the room. Draco briefly wondered how long he had been sitting in darkness.

'You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?'

Now that Draco could see, Harry's eyes were full of anger and hurt.

"It's New Year's Eve," Draco repeated. What didn't the git get about that?

'So you've told me. I don't see how that has to do with anything.'

"Merlin, I had forgotten how blind and stubborn you can be," Draco said.

Harry's eyes flashed. 'Forgot, huh? Boot that good?'

Draco sighed. "Can you forget about that? Preferably forever but knowing how that's impossible for you at least for just one night?"

Harry's lips thinned. He looked furious. 'Forget?! Are you bloody insane? How am I expected to forget about that? You fucking left me for him and now you're back here asking me to forget about him?' He ran a hand through his hair roughly. 'What the hell do you want from me?

'I can't get no damn sleep because all I do is think about how I'm going to kill Voldemort. I think about Ron. I think about how many people are counting on me. I think about the people that have died. I think about what it will be like if I fail. And most of all,' Harry scrunched his eyes closed, rubbing at them with the heels of his hands. 'I think about you and how much you fucking hurt me and left me when I needed you the most!'

"Harry— " Draco made to move closer to fold his stupid and brave Gryffindor into his arms.

'No!' Harry took a step away from him, holding up his hand. The whites of his eyes were tinged red. 'Don't do this. I don't know exactly why you left me or what you want from me. But please, I can't stand the sight of you or the sound of your voice anymore.'

Draco's throat closed and his heart thudded painfully. "What are you saying, Potter?" He spat out the words. His snarky attitude was so reliable when it came to defense mechanisms.

'I'm saying you shouldn't have come here! Whatever you have to say can be owled to me. Please,' Harry's eyes were begging him, 'please leave. Leave me to bring in the year in peace.'

"I won't," Draco said fiercely. "Then what am I to do?"

Harry shook his head. 'Whatever you want. Isn't that how it's always been?'

"Do you think working for the Dark Lord is what I want? Do you think I enjoy putting my life in danger constantly? I hate it. But I do it because he has controlled our lives for too long. He has ruined so many things." _Things like maybe a happily ever after with you_.

Harry turned away from him to look back out of the window at the night. All that could be seen out of the window were the moon, the stars, the Forbidden Forest, and a few turrets of the castle. The trees were sparkling like diamonds from the frost. It was a silver and light world out there. It all looked so peaceful and beautiful. Draco longed just to sit with Harry and look with him.

'Boot's waiting for you. You should get back to him before midnight.'

"Will you stop it with that! I came here for you!"

Harry whirled around, his eyes demanding behind his glasses. 'Why? You left me. You don't have to do anything for me anymore.'

"Gods, can I just have one night with you?"

'You can't. You love someone else.'

It was all Draco could do not to gape at him. In love with Terry Boot? He would sooner slit his wrists and have Voldemort feed him to Fenrir Greyback. "I don't love him yet." Like he ever could or would.

'Then why? Tell me why!'

_If only I could_, Draco thought. He knew that if he told Harry it was all so he could protect him, Harry would think it was his right to protect Draco at all costs as well. Harry would only end up getting hurt and getting in the way when he was not supposed to.

Draco shook his head and remained silent. Harry looked up at him with heartbreak in his eyes. With his messy hair and his too large clothes and bare feet, he looked like a little boy who had too much to deal with. He looked so worn and tired.

"Harry," Draco murmured, cupping his cheek in his hand.

Harry stepped away from him, but not before Draco could feel that he was trembling. 'Don't.'

"I know you have been going through your pain and the gods know everyone else's pain with no one there to help you. Won't you let me help you let go for just one night?"

'If you don't love me, why are you asking this of me?'

_Because I love you more than I could ever love anything or anyone else_. "Because you need it."

'You're doing it for me?' A bitter smile twisted his lips.

Draco smiled his own smile. _Always_, he thought and drew Harry close. Harry was pliant beneath his hands. He willingly lifted his lips to Draco's. He clung to Draco so tightly that Draco had difficulty breathing. But he didn't care. If breathing was easy without Harry, then he would rather suffocate. Hysterical laughter bubbled inside of Draco. What a sentimental fool he had become!

Draco wanted to weep at what he could not always have as he felt Harry's lips slide against his own. He wanted to lock Harry away somewhere safe and kill Voldemort himself, then come back to Harry and have his happily ever after. But then again, what did he know? He was a seventeen year old boy who was in way over his head. They both were. What did Draco know of happily ever afters and the world in general? Surely the whole world was not filled with darkness, hate, and greed for power?

He yearned to tell the other boy how much he missed him and how much he wished they could just run and run and run away together, but he kept silent. He communicated instead with his body. His lips, tongue, and hands reacquainted themselves with a well-known body. He wanted to drive Harry to the edge, but remind him not to forget Draco was there too.

Harry arched so prettily under him, his mouth open to accept Draco's lips and tongue. Draco swallowed Harry's moans like it was water. Merlin knew Draco was greedy as it was, but when it came to Harry, he was possessive as hell. He never wanted another human being to elicit or to witness these responses from Harry. No one had the right to.

Time did not matter. Draco contented himself with tracing every inch of Harry's skin with his mouth and hands. Harry kept pleading with him to enter him, but Draco would tell him to be patient. Damn anyone who rushed him in this. He would enjoy making love to Harry until the sun rose.

When Draco flipped Harry onto his stomach and ran a tongue experimentally over one of his most sensitive parts, Harry went taut as a bowstring and cried out. Draco soothed him by gently kneading his thighs. Once Harry relaxed, panting and quivering, Draco did it again, trying to hold Harry still while his hands were occupied with exposing Harry. Harry was whimpering as Draco continued to assault him with his tongue. Draco drew back when he got him thoroughly wet.

Harry immediately turned over, his eyes glazed and his cheeks flushed with desire. Draco was unbearably hard, but controlled his immediate instinct to push himself into Harry. Muttering a lubricating charm, Draco moved between Harry's spread legs and leaned down to kiss him as he moved a finger into him. His pre-preparation with his tongue had loosened Harry quite a bit. Harry easily accepted a second finger, moaning as he held Draco's head and kissed him for all he was worth.

'Please Draco. I need you. I can't stand it anymore.'

Harry pressed his knees to his chest. Draco memorized how Harry looked then: green eyes bright with lust and expectancy and emotion that was beyond naming. He watched as he disappeared into him, biting his lip hard to keep from coming right then. Harry writhed deliciously under him as Draco set a steady rhythm, neither one taking their eyes off of the other.

Draco made love to Harry until he thought he was going to die if he did not come. Careful to make sure Harry came first so he could imprint the image into his mind, Draco finally let himself go, gasping and screaming and moaning Harry's name.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him from drawing out. He looked at Harry who was gazing at him with a satiated expression.

'Don't leave yet.'

Draco obliged. Harry cleaned them both off with a wave of his hand. Draco leaned down and met Harry's lips halfway. They kissed leisurely and slowly, enjoying every minute before reality would set in.

"Look," Draco whispered, nodding at the clock on the wall. "It's past midnight."

He snorted. 'You mean WAY past midnight.' A contented and peaceful smile crossed Harry's face. 'What a lovely way to start the new year.'

Draco buried his face in Harry's neck and laughed. He couldn't agree more.


	22. Promises

**Comments: **THE UNRATED CHAPTERS CAN BE FOUND ON MY LJ WHICH CAN BE FOUND ON MY PROFILE PAGE! PLEASE STOP ASKING ME FOR THE ADDRESS! This chapter was a long time in coming, but it's finally here! Thank you for everyone who has waited for it. You guys are the reason I am going to finish this fic!

**Rating:** R

**Summary: **Harry refuses to talk because of something that happened in his sixth year. Now at their last year at Hogwarts together, Draco becomes attracted to him and is determined to find out what's keeping the Gryffindor quiet, not knowing of the horrors that's keeping Harry from talking. Things become more desperate as they realize that Harry is the only one who knows how to stop Voldemort from stealing other powerful wizards' and witches' powers. And Harry is no closer to talking than Voldemort is to applying for Miss Universe.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any characters related to it. The wonderful JK Rowling does.

**Butterfly Kisses**

**Chapter 22: Promises**

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'So you're saying I have to attack him while he's weak?'

Draco nodded. "I'm not sure when he is going to transfer his power again to the nasturtium. He just did it a couple of days ago, so I'm guessing it won't be for a while. There's really no way of telling. I was not informed of his first power transfer until I was at the meeting."

'He's still weak then.'

"Yes, but heavily protected," Draco warned, already seeing the conclusions Harry was jumping to. Harry turned to look at him over his shoulder. Draco sighed and levered himself up on his elbow and kissed him. "You cannot attack now, do you understand? It would be a suicide mission with all of those Death Eaters guarding him."

Harry turned completely in Draco's arms to face him. The bed sheet slid down to their waist, exposing their bare torsos to the chill night, but neither paid it any mind. So much for his master plan to stay the bloody hell away from Harry, Draco mused. He wasn't even supposed to see Harry after he left Hogwarts with Boot. What went wrong? Draco snorted to himself. It was the rhetorical question of the century. What went wrong was his will turning weak. Gods and Merlin help him. He was turning into a Hufflepuff.

"You would not be doing anyone favors by uselessly killing yourself," he continued. "I have enough problems to deal with without having to watch your every move as well. Not to mention people will die needlessly if you do not know what you're doing."

Harry frowned at him. 'I don't need babysat, least of all by you. And I have no intention of letting others die needlessly as you put it. But like you said, we have no idea when the next time Voldemort is going to transfer more of his powers. I can't wait.'

"Damn it, Potter," Draco growled, tightening his hold on Harry's shoulder. "You _must_ wait. Why do you never listen to anyone?"

'How long do you expect me to wait?' Harry's mouth tightened. 'I have waited long enough. I cannot risk any more of my friends or family getting killed because of me.'

"So you plan to get yourself killed so you no longer have to worry about that?"

Harry sat up, angry. 'That's not what I meant and you know it. I know I can get through this. I've rushed into other shite in the past without a plan and I'm still alive aren't I? Maybe I'll die, maybe I won't. The point is, if I do, Voldemort will be right next to me dying as well. That is all I care about.'

"No, you listen to reason!" Draco said, grabbing his chin and forcing the green eyes, cast in shadows, to meet his. He didn't want to lose this. There was no risk that was big enough to lose what was in his arms. This stubborn boy was running recklessly, as always, into danger with no regard for anything else but his goal to kill Voldemort. Harry was so blinded by that one goal that he did not stop to acknowledge how others would react if he should die in the process. Most of all, Harry did not seem to understand at all. His concern for others overshadowed any interest in himself. How irritatingly like him.

"Listen to me," Draco repeated more calmly. "Snape and I are doing everything we can to find out how to break the Evinase, but Slytherin's journal is extensive. That's why you must give us more time. Everyone is working hard to find an opportune moment to strike. When we find it, you know that we will tell you.

"Even if you don't listen to me and go track down Voldemort yourself, how are you planning to kill him? You can't cast the _Avada Kedavra _without a wand. You are proficient at wandless magic, but you're not that good. Do you know how easily Voldemort could cut you down? If you rush in without a plan or even back-up, you're doomed to die. The Death Eaters would stop you before you could get in striking distance of him."

Harry pulled his chin out of Draco's grip. 'Not if I'm faster. Besides, there's more than one way to kill someone. I thought you would know that, Draco. Books on Dark Magic are much more useful than I've given it credit for.'

Draco briefly wondered if Dumbledore would be understanding if he decided to strangle the Gryffindor tonight. "Bloody hell. Just give us one more week. Promise me that you will wait."

Harry exhaled slowly and quietly as Draco pulled him close. He closed his eyes and rested his head on Draco's shoulder. 'One extra week then.'

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Draco flooed back to the floo station and Apparated to the Manor's gates an hour before the sun was due to rise. Malfoy Manor was devoid of human noises, the curtains still drawn on the large windows in the various rooms. Torches were set at intervals to give enough light to guide, not that he particularly needed it.

Deciding that the couple of hours that he slept at Hogwarts was enough, Draco headed to the room that he had designated for the research in the restoration of Voldemort's body. Not surprisingly, Snape was sitting at the desk with Slytherin's journal open in front of him.

"Have you found anything?" Draco inquired, taking a seat opposite his former professor.

"Not anything that's relevant," Snape said, his voice hoarse.

"I'll take over. You should go to bed. You certainly look like you could use some sleep. Harry also decided he would extend the deadline to another week."

"Well now that we have his permission," Snape sneered. He pushed the journal towards Draco and left, his robes billowing in the usual fashion. How could he do that when it was so damn early in the morning?

Draco peered down at the book and sighed. If Voldemort had not directly told him so, Draco would have given up hope that the Evinase was in Slytherin's journal at all. He just hoped that it was soon.

A few hours later, one of the house elves brought him breakfast complete with tea and coffee. Feeling pleasantly full and sleepy, he was drifting off when he caught sight of what he had been looking for. Draco sat up, instantly alert. There in Salazar Slytherin's scrawl was the Evinase Curse. It described the effects that Draco already knew about. Slytherin went on to describe how he had developed the spell and how he had fine-tuned it.

"Fuck," Draco cursed loudly, his hands clenching.

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Snape's eyes were following the blond figure that was pacing restlessly. The boy had been like this when Snape had come into the room to take over. It was rather strange of Draco to have Slytherin's journal closed. Snape would have opened the book to read what Draco had read himself, but he found it rather stimulating to hear Draco's thoughts at times.

It went without saying that Draco's face did not betray his thoughts or feelings. It was blank as he methodically strode twenty paces, turned, and strode another twenty paces to start the pattern all over again. Being a Slytherin himself and their Head of House had ingrained in him that people will share information when they wanted. There was no other way unless one had to turn to spells and perhaps some sly workings that very rarely worked on Slytherins.

However, everyone usually falls for an opening.

"You found what you wanted."

Draco seemed to ignore him in favor of looking out of the window behind the desk. Well, at least he had stopped pacing. The sun's light basked the blond hair to a blinding halo while the simple but expensive black robes soaked it in. The fingers gripping the window sill was the only sign of his unease.

"You were right," he said bitterly.

"You will have to be more specific in telling me in which instance that I was right considering I find too many of them to keep a track of," Snape replied.

"The curse." Draco's head lowered slightly as if in defeat. "You were right. Salazar Slytherin never invented a counter-curse to the Evinase. The only way to break it is if the wizard or witch who casts it dies. How typically cruel of Slytherin to do this." There was a pause. "Do you know why Slytherin developed the Evinase?"

"Enlighten me, Mr. Malfoy."

"He did it because an admirer of his would not leave him alone. She kept waxing poetry whenever she was close enough to him to be heard. Gods, and I thought Lucius was heartless."

"Does this surprise you? Slytherins have always been known for putting ambition before all else. Morality and ethics has nothing to do with it. Now apply this to Salazar Slytherin who prized these very traits in his students. He is the namesake and the epitome of our House, Draco. What did you expect from one such as him?"

Draco rested his forehead against the cool glass, his eyes absently following a bird's flight from a tree in the yard into the dark and gloomy sky. It was going to snow. "What do we do now? Without his voice, Harry doesn't have a fighting chance with the Dark Lord."

For the first time, Draco could feel the edges of his world start crumbling. He didn't know how to stop the lurking darkness from spreading, waiting to drown him if Voldemort was triumphant. Helplessness was an emotion that he had very rarely felt before, but the feeling was starting to envelope him, perhaps making up for lost time. Draco had always prided himself on being a clever and intelligent person, but what use was it now when he couldn't even think of a single damn thing to do to help Harry?

_Fuck_, Draco swore. What would Harry do when he found out? There would be nothing to hold him back from going after Voldemort. To see that hope die a swift death in those _Avada Kedavra_ eyes would tear Draco into pieces. More accurately, the consequences of that death would possibly literally rip the whole world apart. Who knew how reckless Harry could get when he had nothing to restrain his actions?

He swallowed hard, trying to regain his control and footing. This game of life or death was far from over. Right now he just needed to keep this feeling of impending shadows and death from taking over. He didn't need any distractions. A solution yes, thoughts of death no.

"Our alternative solution, then, is to clear a path for Harry, isn't it?" Draco murmured. He finally turned around to face Snape. Snape was still sitting in the exact same position, his face impassive as always.

A curt nod was his answer. "It would seem the most likely choice at this point. When the time comes, the Order must have an army ready to stampede the Death Eaters and every obstacle that should present itself, leaving Potter and the Dark Lord alone for their final duel."

Hearing that statement uttered so matter-of-factly was doing things to his already clenching heart. Ignoring the lump in his throat, Draco seated himself in the chair and opened Slytherin's journal again. Who knew what he would find that would come in handy that did not require an incantation or a month to brew? Besides, he had to pretend to keep looking for a spell or potion to restore Voldemort's body.

"What is it?" Draco asked when Snape laid his hand across the book.

"Go rest," he ordered. "You have been up all night. How can you expect to think properly?"

Draco sighed and stood up. "Yes, sir."

Now that Snape had suggested it, Draco was absolutely exhausted. He didn't even remember much of his trip to his room. When he entered his room, he was surprised to see Boot lounging on the couch overlooking the grounds. Boot turned to look at the intruder and a smile lit his face when he saw Draco. He got up and launched himself into Draco's rather unenthusiastic arms.

"I was getting worried!" he said, offering his lips to Draco.

Draco obliged and kissed him in a reassuring manner. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I'm fine now, just tired. I think a bath and the bed sounds delightful."

Boot pulled away and nodded. "Of course. I'll start the bath for you."

Draco gave him a brief kiss. "Thank you, love. That would mean a lot to me."

Boot scampered off to the bathroom while Draco began disrobing, looking longingly at his waiting bed. However, he knew that he couldn't just climb in there without bathing. He was afraid that Boot would notice that he smelled different. He had Harry's smell all over him.

When the bath was ready, Draco took his time bathing and relaxing. Although his body had a rather easy time relaxing due to Boot's insistence on giving him a blowjob and a massage.

Lunch was waiting on the table when he stepped out of the bathroom in a bathrobe. Boot was dishing the food onto two separate plates and pouring some wine into two glasses. Draco took a seat across from Boot and listened to Boot's chatter about this and that. Sufficiently stuffed, Draco felt his eyes sliding closed.

"Come on," Boot chuckled, pulling on his arm. "Let's get you into bed."

Draco gratefully fell onto his bed, feeling Boot lay down next to him. Draco closed his eyes and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

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Awareness immediately came to him, but Draco allowed himself the luxury of enjoying his warm nest before opening his eyes. It was dark outside. The house elves had started the fireplace, providing the only source of light. A glance at the clock told him that it was a little past nine o'clock. He looked to the other side of the bed and realized that Boot wasn't there. Assuming he was in the library, Draco rolled out of bed and stood up. He threw on a casual black robe and made his way over to the table where his supper was waiting for him, still piping hot from a charm. A flick of his wand and the candles in his room burned to life.

Over his meal, Draco resolved to wait out the week before he told Harry about the Evinase. It certainly couldn't hurt anything. It would only give him and Snape more time to plan. And what a plan it would be. The ultimate goal was to get Harry and Voldemort close enough to each other without any interference from the Death Eaters. Those bastards would take great relish in killing and torturing the Boy Who Lived before he could even perform a _Lumos_ in Voldemort's direction.

Draco was just finishing up his tea when there was a knock on his door.

"Who is it?"

"Draco?" It was his mother.

Draco had not seen a lot of his mother since he had come home. He was too busy and occupied with other things to join his mother at meals on a regular basis. Of the time he had spent with her, they mostly exchanged pleasantries. Ever since Draco had received his Mark, he felt even more distant from his mother than he ever remembered feeling. When he was growing up, she gave him everything he wanted, doting on him with presents and rich, beautiful, and expensive things. Although he still could ask and receive any material possession from her, he was afraid she would only do it out of habit. Whereas there had been the occasional hug and kiss good-night when he was a child, she never seemed inclined to want to touch him now. That hint of affection that he used to see in her eyes was now gone. He couldn't pinpoint the exact time it had disappeared, but he knew that it had been in his fourth year at Hogwarts after winter break.

He loved her as a son should love a mother. She gave him life and softened an otherwise harsh childhood had Lucius been given sole reign. But then again maybe he didn't love her the way he presumed other children loved their mothers. Other children would run to their mothers when they were hurt. He had run to his nanny and when his nanny wasn't there, he ran to his room to weep. He hadn't dared let Lucius see him cry. It was a weakness that needed to be cured, his father would say. Draco hadn't cried since the summer before his eighth birthday when Lucius had given him an hour-long lecture on the indignity and shame Draco brought on the Malfoy name by crying. Crying was for those who had no control and no pride in oneself.

"Come in, mother."

His mother was nothing but elegance. She had always had a privileged life from the time of her conception to this very moment. She did not sully her hands with the war. She graciously entertained when she needed to and kept her loyalties behind her husband. It was everything that was befitting to a perfect wife.

"How are you doing darling?" she questioned, seating herself next to him at the table.

"I'm doing fine, mother. Thank you for asking. Would you like some tea?" Draco poured her some at her nod. "I'm afraid I'm not going to be very good company tonight. I'm rather a tad tired still."

Narcissa smiled slightly at him. "It's alright." She swallowed and looked down at the teacup she had just set in its saucer. How did she begin to talk to her son? Out of all the lessons on etiquette and being a wife and mother, none of them had covered how to show love and affection to a child. Her own mother had been rather apathetic when it came to Narcissa and her sisters, so Narcissa had no idea what she was doing. Pulling Draco into a hug or kissing his cheek went against her very nature.

"Is something the matter, mother?" Draco asked politely, not used to seeing his mother look unsure of herself.

She met his eyes. "Draco." She hesitated. She glanced down at his hands which were set neatly on the table as he had been taught. "I know that this is a lot to handle, all this business with the Dark Lord. I always knew that you would have to follow in your father's footsteps and serve him. There is nothing I can do to stop this. Our world, Draco, this pureblood world and ancient tradition that we are born into demand things of us half-bloods and muggleborns would never understand. Loyalty to one's name and family is what defines us. If we lose such things, what will we have left?"

Of all the things that Draco had expected his mother to say, it was not even close to this. She had never before spoken to him about the Dark Lord. Lucius had always been the one to discuss such matters with him.

"Of course, I understand," he said. "I am doing what is required of me to uphold our name and family."

Narcissa moved to touch the hand that was closest to her only to quickly withdraw her fingers before any contact could be made. "I know you are darling. But there are times when our name and our family are not the same things. In such times, you must choose."

"Mother?" There was not a chance his mother could suspect or even know. Could there? If she did know, what had given him away?

Blue eyes looked sadly at him. "I haven't been the most affectionate of mothers, but those are the words I have always wanted to say to you. Now seemed like a good time." She got up and her fingers grazed his shoulder before leaving without another word.

Draco stared blankly at his wall for a good ten minutes before he shook himself from his daze. He didn't know what had gotten into his mother. She was giving him her blessing to choose, that the path that his father had carved out for him wasn't necessarily the one she wanted him to take.

With a surprised cry, Draco grasped his left forearm. His mark was burning. Draco stood up quickly. How could there be a meeting? Voldemort was still weak. He would not let anybody see him in such a state. Something wasn't right.

He summoned a house elf and commanded it to find Boot and send him back to Draco's room immediately. When Boot arrived, panting, Draco strode up to him and held him by the shoulders.

"Terry, listen to me very carefully."

"Draco? What's the matter?"

"Listen to me. Take this pendant. It's a Portkey. If I do not contact you within the hour, I want you to go find my mother. The activation word is 'Hogwarts.' It will take you and my mother right outside Dumbledore's office. Once you're there, tell Dumbledore that something is wrong. Do you understand?"

Boot was beginning to look panicked. "But Draco! What about you? What's going on?"

"I don't know, but you must act like nothing is—"

Just then, his father came into the room, his mask already in hand. "Come, Draco. We have no time."

"Yes, father." Draco grabbed his mask from his cabinet. Without another look at Boot, he followed his father. "What's going on? Did something happen to the Dark Lord?"

Lucius' face looked grim. "There has been a disturbance on the wards surrounding our Dark Lord's dwelling."

"How could they have found it? Not even we know its exact location!"

"I do not know. But we must hurry."

Draco had a horrible feeling he knew who the intruder might be.


End file.
